The Path We Follow
by NaleyWriter23
Summary: Haley James is a first-grade teacher. Nathan Scott has a six-year-old daughter who just so happens to be in her class. When they meet at a Parent-Teacher Conference, Nathan can't seem to stay away. Will Haley fall for her student's father?
1. Chapter 1

It's been too long! Blame college: it's stealing all of my time! I never get to write. In fact, I should've been writing an essay today but I had this sudden idea for a story and I just had to write it. I'm excited, but at the same time, I really should not be writing this considering I have no time and I haven't updated my other fics in forever. oh well, I guess we'll see where this goes. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

He couldn't help but stare.

She was bent over with her firm rear targeted in the direct line of his sight, and there he stood-between the space of the door-blatant and unblinking. It was wrong, he knew, but how could he not gawk? Her curves were smooth, like the edges of the moon, and the tips of his fingers suddenly burned with the desire of the sun.

Knowing he should announce his presence but not being able to locate words, a gruff cough tore from his throat, hoping he'd wake from his lust infused state. She jumped slightly, hearing the sound penetrate the silent classroom, and turned to find a pair of the brightest blue eyes focused on what she could only presume was her ass.

 _Busted_ , he thought as an embarrassed grin traced his lips, watching the light blush paint over the contours of her cheeks. Somehow, her front was even more magnificent than her back-large, hypnotizing, brown eyes tugged him further into the room. She stood against the desk, biting gently on the lower corner of her lip, brushing the stray curl of honey blonde hair behind her ear.

"H-hi," she squeaked and took a quick glance at an orange sheet of paper sitting atop her desk. "You must be Mr. Scott. Madeline's father, right?"

Nathan nodded, still overcome by a gripping silence.

She stuck her manicured hand out, smiling brightly. "I'm Haley James. It's nice to finally meet you."

His mouth opened, but closed shortly after. She was still smiling, unknowingly causing a stirring in the pit of his stomach. When her questioning brown eyes settled upon his own blue gaze, reality ripped words from between his teeth.

"Please, call me Nathan. And it's nice to meet you, too. Maddie talks about you all the time."

Her wide smile remained on her luscious, pink lips as she took a seat behind her desk, gathering a few papers. Nathan mirrored her actions and sat in the chair in front of the wooden desk, jiggling his knee nervously.

"I could say the same about you," Ms. James laughed. "She's constantly talking about how great her Daddy is."

Nathan smirked proudly, "Well I suppose that's better than her complaining I can't ever do anything right."

Another giggle emit from between her lips, "You've got at least another ten years before that happens. Trust me."

He scoffed playfully, "Yeah, I'm definitely not looking forward to the teenage years."

"Well, Maddie's a great girl. I don't think you'll have too worry too much."

"Thanks, but I think I'm more worried about the boys who'll break her heart than anything else."

Haley laughed in amusement, silently cursing herself for the way her heart began to race when he smirked. From the second he walked in, she felt herself melting in the pool of his sparkling, crystal blue eyes. He was easily the most attractive man she'd ever seen, with a strong chiseled jaw, and square shoulders. His light blue collared shirt clung to his cut biceps, molding to the muscles.

 _Focus_ , she inwardly chanted, he's married!

"So, um, will your wife be joining us?" She asked, redirecting the conversation to the importance of the meeting.

"Oh, uh..." Nathan scratched his short, raven black hair, "No. I'm not married."

"Sorry, I guess I just-"

"It's okay," he smiled reassuringly, making her heart skip another beat like a scratched record. "I'm a single Dad. Maddie's mother isn't in the picture."

Haley nodded with teeth sunk into her lower lip. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I mean, Maddie's never mentioned her mother, only you, but I never really thought-"

"Ms. James, it's fine, really." Nathan smirked, cutting her from the ramble she was tripping on.

"Okay," she sighed, breathless with a sense of relief. "And it's Haley," she corrected with a small grin.

"Haley," he repeated softly. "Okay."

"Okay-so, let's get started, shell we?" She opened a folder and pulled out a few sheets of paper with Maddie's name on it, handing them to Nathan.

"A 62?" He asked, almost groaning. "God, this is so unlike her."

"I know. She's such an amazing student, one of my best actually, but lately she's been struggling with her reading comprehension."

Nathan slouched lower in the seat, dragging his hand over his tired face. "It's my fault. I've been working overtime lately and haven't had the time to check her homework. I also wasn't the brightest student in school-"

"Look, I wouldn't be too concerned if I were you. She's excelling in everything else. I just wanted to bring it to your attention so we can fix it before it gets worse." Haley spoke gently, easing the nerves of the young father across from her.

"What can we do?"

"Well, for starters, have her read to you instead of you reading to her." Haley directed. "She told me you read to her every night. That's sweet."

Nathan smiled, "She won't go to bed until I tell her a story."

Haley grinned, inwardly gushing over the hot Dad. He really did seem like an amazing father to Maddie. "I know. She always asks me to read to her too, and I wish I could but I have to encourage her to read on her own. And I know she can, but she just struggles. Especially when reading aloud."

"What do you mean?"

"She gets frustrated when she can't pronounce a word-"

Nathan's eyes widened in worry, "Does she get made fun of? I swear to God-"

"No! Gosh, no! I don't tolerate bullying in my classroom." Haley spoke strongly. "Besides, everyone loves her." She glanced quickly towards the door, and lowered her voice. "I'm not supposed to say this but she's one of my favorites. Even though she's not the best reader, she's so polite and well behaved. She's truly a pleasure to have in my class. You've done a wonderful job raising her, Mr. Scott."

He felt his cheeks warm, "I can't take all the credit. My brother and sister-in-law help from time to time. My mom does too."

"Well, like I said, I wouldn't worry. Reading comp is hard for six-year-olds. We'll keep practicing and I'm sure she'll improve. I have no doubt in my mind Maddie will be brilliant. She already is." Haley enthused, "Oh! And she's incredibly artistic! Look at what she drew me!"

Nathan glanced at the paper Haley handed him. It was a garden of flowers with a little girl and a woman standing, holding hands. On top of the page was Maddie's name, written in her tiny scrawled letters, and the words 'to the best teacher ever!.'

He beamed and gave it back to the young teacher. "That is really good. She definitely doesn't get her art skills from me."

Haley laughed, "Don't worry, she's pretty good at basketball too. She's even beaten the boys a couple of times."

"That's my girl," Nathan smirked. "I'm guessing she told you I used to play in the NBA?"

"Oh yes," Haley chuckled, "She tells everyone how you can dunk the ball and that she wants to be just like you."

"Really? She's told me a few times that she wants to be just like the great Ms. James."

Haley flushed red, "Oh wow, well, that's an honor!"

"I'm telling you, she goes on and on about you. One time we went shopping and she wanted to buy a pencil skirt because 'Ms. James' wears them.'" Nathan recalled with a flirtatious smirk. "She's always drawing pictures of you, too. But I don't think they do you any justice."

Haley averted her eyes from his intense gaze and giggled, "That's so cute. She's such a sweetie."

"I'll be sure to tell her you think so highly of her. I know it'll make her day."

"I'm glad," she gushed.

Nathan held her smile, then looked back at his daughter's low test score. "So, what else can we do to fix this? I don't want to be too hard on her, I mean she's only six, but still..."

"Actually, I had an idea I wanted to run by you," Haley offered with a tentative smile.

"Shoot."

"If it's okay, Maddie can stay with me after school twice a week and I can give her extra help with reading."

Nathan felt a swell of warmth flood his veins. Haley was so kind to Madeline and it made him happy- and somewhat jealous that he never had a teacher who cared, or was as gorgeous as . "Wow. That would be great. Are you sure you'd be willing to do that?"

"Oh absolutely! It'd be a pleasure."

"Thank you, Haley. I really appreciate it. I know Mads will, too."

They shared a soft smile before Nathan looked away to glance at his watch, "Oh shoot, I'm sorry to cut this conference short but I need to pick up Maddie from my Mom."

"That's okay, I completely understand." Haley said, inwardly saddened by the fact he'd have to leave. "I'll talk to Maddie in school tomorrow and see what she thinks."

"Okay, great. I'm sure she'll be really excited." He stood up from the chair and slowly walked to the door with Haley following him a few steps behind. "It was nice to meet you, Haley."

"You too, Nathan."

"I'm sure I'll see you again, right?"

Haley nodded, "I hope so." She revealed quietly.

"Me too." He grinned. "Bye."

Before Haley could say a farewell, he was out of her classroom, leaving her with a racing heart. She'd never admit it, but she definitely had a crush on her student's father.

Seconds later, Nathan popped his head through the door way, starling her yet again. "You know, Maddie said you were pretty, but I think you're beautiful."

And with that, he disappeared again, leaving a blushing Haley speechless.


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, sorry this update took so long. Life has been hectic and for some reason I couldn't bring myself to sit down and write this chapter. It's excruciatingly boring and unfortunately there are no naley scenes so I hated writing it but it had to be written to introduce you further into Nathan and Haley's lives. I re-wrote it about four times before I said whatever and just posted it.**

 **Secondly, I was blown away by the amount of feedback the first chapter received so thank you SO much. I meant to update much sooner because I know you guys wanted more, so hopefully this does it justice. Thanks again!**

* * *

"Daddy!"

Nathan Scott thought his lips couldn't possibly pull any wider after his encounter with Haley James, but when the barreling bundle of wavy brown hair came running to him with her sparkling blue eyes and half dimples, he was sure his lips became elastic.

"Hi Mads. How was your day?" He scooped his daughter into his arms, lifting her effortlessly off the floor of his mother's entryway, and placed a soft kiss on her strawberry scented forehead.

"Good! Nanny Deb made me cookies!" Maddie's high-pitched voice squeaked as she threw her tiny arms around her father's neck.

"She did?" His eyes widened comically, "I hope you guys saved me some!"

Maddie giggled wildly, feeling her Daddy begin to tickle her underarms. "Daddy, no!"

The sound of her happy giggles bellowed through the open space, conjoining with Nathan's own effortless laugh to create a melodic song.

These were the moments Nathan lived for.

Yet, if someone told him seven years ago, he'd be stuck in small town Tree Hill with a six-year-old daughter, he'd have laughed-and probably spat-in their face. Seven years ago he had just graduated from Duke University with two NCAA championships under his belt, and was a third-round draft pick for the Seattle Sonics.

Having a daughter was never the plan.

Money.

Women.

Fame.

That was the plan.

It was the only plan he'd ever known.

It was the plan that soon needed serious revision the day Nathan received a phone call from Elizabeth Winter- a nurse at Sloan Kettering Hospital, claiming the mother of his new-born daughter, passed away during childbirth.

* * *

" _What?" Nathan stood shirtless in the front of his refrigerator after coming back from a four mile run around the Seattle area. He had just grabbed a water bottle when his cellphone began ringing, and thinking nothing of it, he answered it with his normal bravado._

" _Mr. Scott, do you know a Cate McHildren?"_

 _He paused, mulling over the name. "No. I don't. What the hell is going on?" Nathan spat, suddenly feeling dizzy._

" _Ms. McHildren just gave birth to her daughter and according to the records, you're the father."_

 _Nathan didn't hear another sound after the dreaded 'f' word. If he thought back to the succeeding seconds, he'd realize the nurse said something about preeclampsia and how the doctors did everything they could, but that was the furthest care in his mind._

" _No. That's impossible. You've got the wrong guy," he paced the cold tiles of the kitchen floor, a contrast against his sweat infused socks._

" _Your name is on the birth certificate, Mr. Scott."_

" _I-" How could this be possible? Well, he knew. But who the hell was this Cate lady? Then again, Nathan very rarely paid attention to the names of his evening encounters, for that's all they ever were; a rump in the sack, another notch in his bedpost, never a lover. Never a mother of his kid._

 _What the hell?  
His eyes snapped shut. This couldn't be happening. It was all a nightmare, that's it. Yet, when he opened his eyes, his vision, now slightly blurry, remained rooted on the marble tile in his kitchen._

" _Is this a joke? Please tell me you're kidding." He was grasping for straws, he knew, but he couldn't-wouldn't-accept this twisted fate._

" _Mr. Scott, I assure you this is real. You have a daughter and she's absolutely beautiful. Now, if you want to sign your parental rights to the state, you'll have to hire a lawyer. Otherwise, you can come down to the hospital and claim her."_

 _This was real._

 _There was no undoing it._

 _He had a kid._

 _He had a daughter._

 _There was no going back._

* * *

At the sudden memory, Nathan looked into his daughter's blue eyes, a surefire match of his own, and smiled. He'd never forget the second he saw her. A pink, squirming, beautiful mess of a baby. He made her: Madeline Grace Scott.

When her swollen, tear fused eyes swelled open, his heart physically constricted. The two orbs of ocean blue were a replica of his own. Breathless, Nathan remembered holding out his thumb and Madeline grasping it, curling her own tiny digit around her father's finger.

That was the moment he fell in love. The moment he shredded his old plan, and created a new one. One that involved quitting the NBA, moving to Tree Hill and becoming a single Dad; with the help from his friends and family, of course.

"I missed you today, Mads." He whispered, clinging onto her tighter.

"I missed you too, Daddy!"

"Nathan, hi! You're back earlier than I expected." His mother, who had just finished wiping her hands with a torn yellow kitchen rag, greeted him as she entered the hallway.

Nathan smiled, still thinking of Maddie's first grade teacher. He meant what he said; she was beautiful.

"Yeah, the meeting was pretty quick."

"What did Ms. James say about me, Daddy?" Maddie looked up at her father with her long, dark eyelashes and grinned, knowing he could never resist her face. She was surely going to be a handful as she got older, Lucas, Nathan's brother often ribbed.

Nathan pretended to think about it, playfully narrowing his eyes, "She said you were… smelly!"

"Daddy!" Maddie screeched, traced with an abundance of laughter. "No she didn't! Ms. James is very nice."

A lopsided grin slanted over his lips. He couldn't help it. "She is very nice."

Deb Scott stood against the wall and widened her eyes, smiling discreetly. She had met Ms. James a few times after picking Maddie up from school, and she could tell the teacher was a beautiful young lady. If she knew her son, especially from the grin on his face, he definitely had a thing for his daughter's teacher.

"Nice, huh?" Deb tossed in, studying her son's stricken features.

"Mom," he groaned, "Don't start."

He knew the analytical look in her eyes meant trouble. She had been nagging him about going on a date ever since he brought Maddie home from the hospital. But his world changed that day. Nathan Scott never really dated, but after becoming a Dad, the only girl in his life was Maddie. The guys often teased him that he was becoming a monk, but he no longer cared. His only focus is in life was raising Maddie. His Casanova days were long over, and to be quite honest, Nathan was glad to put the past to bed.

Still, for the first time in a long time, he saw something in a woman. Something more than just her obvious beauty. He saw kindness. He saw laughter. He saw intelligence. And the most frightening part?

He could see a future with Haley James.

* * *

"What's got you gushy tonight?" Brooke Davis asked from her spot on the couch as she noticed her giddy roommate smiling into her bowl of macaroni.

Haley looked up and tried to bite away her smile, instead, covered it with a mouthful of food. "Nothing," she denied in a hasty mumble.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "I don't buy it. Spill, James."

Haley finished chewing and placed her bowl on the coffee table in front of her, while swapping it for her glass of Merlot. "It's nothing, really. I'm just being a silly girl."

"Haley!" Brooke whined, "Tell me! Is it a guy?"

Haley felt an explosion of heat burst throughout her cheek bones. "No. Maybe. Okay, fine. Yes. It's a guy. It was a guy, but-"

"EEK!" Brooke shrieked, causing the wine to literally shake in Haley's glass. "What happened?"

Haley's teeth sunk deeper into her lower lip, overcome with nerves. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Nathan Scott since he stepped foot into her classroom. He called her beautiful. Beautiful.

Her momentarily dance on cloud nine soon crashed when she fell through the wisps of condensation which poured upon her, reminding her that the very man she was crushing on was the father of her student and nothing could happen.

"It's nothing, Brooke. I just had a meeting with one of my student's father-"

"Oh my God! Was he hot? He was totally hot, right?"

Haley felt the vessels in her cheek explode with a hot, pink heat. "He was attractive, yes."

"So what happened? Did you guys like, do it on the desk or something?"

The blush on Haley's cheeks impossibly heated to a scorching temperature, spreading throughout the rest of her skin like a wildfire. "Brooke."

Her friend knew she wasn't the type to ever do something as brash as, well, 'doing it' with a random guy at work.

"Okay, I know, but I can dream right?" Brooke laughed raspily as she took in the flustered state of her lifelong best friend.

The two of them had grown up in Tree Hill, North Carolina and were practically inseparable. After high school, they had both gone to colleges in California-Haley attended Stanford to pursue her dreams of becoming an educator, and Brooke attended Santa Clara University for fashion marketing. The two schools were exactly seventeen minutes apart, making it more than accessible to see each other bi-weekly.

Once graduated, the girls promptly moved back to their hometown in North Carolina where Haley immediately got a job as a first grade teacher, and Brooke started her own small boutique on the corner of Grace Street.

So far, they've both been extremely successful.

Haley took another swig from her wine glass, welcoming the dry liquid dancing down her throat.

"Really, it's stupid. We flirted a little. I don't even know if you could call it flirting-"

Brooke's eyes widened. Haley and flirting were a rare mixture. "Is he married?"

Haley choked, "What?"

"Your student's father. You flirted with a married man Haley James!" Brooke's tone wasn't accusatory, but moreso amusing. She couldn't believe her goodie-two-shoes friend flirted with a married man.

"No!" She immediately interjected. "Absolutely not. He's a single Dad."

"Or so he said," Brooke grinned cunningly.

"Nathan wouldn't lie about that."

Brooke's grin widened, as her eyebrows rose highly on her forehead, hanging above her glistening green eyes like crescent moons. "So his name is Nathan,"

"Ugh." Haley groaned, throwing her head back on the couch. Sometimes her damn mouth was bigger than her brain. "Yes his name is Nathan, and no he is not married. He was hot and we flirted a little, but that' it. I'm just being a silly girl right now."

"What did he say?"

"Well mostly we talked about his daughter. That's why he was there in the first place."

Brooke waved her hand around in a dramatic, 'I-don't-care' flair. "Yeah, yeah. Tell me what he said that's got you all blushy."

Haley chewed on her lower lip, recalling the moment he threw her his sexy smirk. "He said Maddie, his daughter, told him I was pretty but he told me he thinks I'm beautiful." Even after recalling the moment, her heart spasmed like the bass of a stereo.

"Aww!" Brooke cooed, "Then what did you say?"

"Nothing! He walked out before I could say anything." She shifted nervously and wound her legs under her butt, fiddling with the glass in her hands.

"Did he give you his number? Are you going to see him again?"

"Brooke, slow down." Haley laughed at the over-excited smile on Brooke's face. "No, I didn't give him my number and I don't know. I'm sure I'll see him when he picks Maddie up but it's not like anything can happen between us."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because his daughter is my student. That's so inappropriate."

Brooke pouted, "But he seems so cute."

Haley sighed softly, "He is. And so is his daughter. But nothing can happen. It was just innocent flirting."

At least that's what she told herself, repeatedly until it sunk in.

 _Nothing can happen._

Or can it?

Next chapter will have Naley interaction (I promise) Thanks for reading. I'll try to update again within the next few weeks.


	3. Chapter 3

Nathan would be lying if he said he hadn't broken nearly every speeding limit on the way to Tree Hill Elementary School. He had woken up early specifically to take Maddie to school today. Most mornings his mother would volunteer to take her so he could get to work early, but today was different.

He wanted -no, needed- to see Ms. James again. Though her image was permanently burned in the depths of his mind, nothing beat the real life masterpiece. Plus, he hadn't spent much time with his daughter lately, so he valued every waking moment with her- even if it meant waking up at the crack of dawn to do so.

His light blue eyes found her matching color gaze in the rearview mirror of his Range Rover, causing a smile to stretch over his lips. He'd been working a lot lately, at an office just on the outskirts of Tree Hill.

After retiring early from the NBA, Nathan had gone to work for his friend and former agent, Clay Evans. The hours are mostly flexible, so he'd be able to spend time with Maddie, but the past two months, he had taken on more clients than he can handle, hence his busy schedule. Fortunately, Clay's really understanding and doesn't require Nathan to travel much. Only a few times a year he has to travel across the country, but it's never for long. He just can't be away from Maddie for long.

"Daddy, are you gonna pick me up from school today, too?" Maddie asked from her spot in the backseat.

"Yep." Nathan grinned, "Maybe we can go out to dinner too."

"Really?" She squealed in excitement.

"Sure. I know I've been working a lot, kiddo. I'm sorry."

He saw her shrug, "It's okay Daddy. It's your job."

With a curt nod, Nathan replied, "That's right. Just like it's your job to do well in school."

Maddie huffed, "I guess so."

Nathan grinned. She was a mini-version of himself. Blue eyes and all.

"So uh, what do you think about staying for a little extra time after school so Miss. James can help you with reading and math?"

Her blue eyes sparkled in the morning sunlight. "Can I?"

"Yeah, I talked to her about it yesterday. She said she'd be happy to help you."

"I really, really, really, wanna! Daddy, I _love_ Miss. James. She's so smart!"

He smirked, "She loves you, too."

"And Daddy, she's so pretty. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She looks like a Queen!"

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle, "I know, Mads. I saw her yesterday."

"Did you think she was pretty?"

Nathan cleared his throat, turning the wheel so he could park in front of the school. It was still early, so not many people were there yet. "I think she's very pretty. But not as pretty as you, Princess."

Maddie giggled, "Thanks, Daddy."

"Come on, goof. We're here. Let's go talk to your teacher, okay?" After putting the car in park, he hastily unbuckled himself to help Maddie out. Grabbing her pink Frozen themed backpack, Nathan threw it over his shoulder and took her tiny hand in his, walking to the entrance.

Once inside, he smiled at the secretary and signed Maddie in. The first grader was quite anxious to see her teacher, and pulled her Dad by his hand, leading him down the brightly lit and colorful hallway.

Nathan didn't know why but his stomach suddenly started to feel sick, and his hands soon became slick with sweat. Taking a deep breath to calm his frayed nerves, he smiled nervously at the sight of his daughter's teacher, once again bent over, picking up fallen papers.

Entranced. That was the only word to describe it.

He knew it was rude to stare, but how could his eyes possibly focus on anything else when the greatest piece of art on this planet was right in front of him?

She was bent down, but a navy blue dress clung to her small frame, subtly accentuating her natural and smooth curves. _Beautiful_ , Nathan thought. _Absolutely beautiful._

Along with the adjective, breathtaking because he was pretty sure his lungs stopped working. For the past 24 hours, he hadn't gotten the image of her out of his brain, but this, this was a million times better.

Sensing another presence in the room, Haley glanced behind her and stumbled in the process. She was originally kneeling over, but when she made eye contact with the raven haired hottie, she fumbled over herself, falling onto the tile of the classroom floor.

 _Great going, James._ She mentally berated herself.

Nathan was pulled from his studying of the masterpiece, when she fell over.

"Are you okay?" He asked, tentatively walking over to the beauty.

She was oddly silent for a moment, only to shake her head in recovery, "Uhm, yeah. I-I just, uh… you startled me."

She blushed nervously, fumbling with the papers in her hands.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said.

She smiled. His lungs stopped working again. "It's okay."

"Hi, Miss. James!"

Haley looked away from Nathan when she heard the small voice, and her smile only enlarged. "Hi, Maddie. How are you today?"

"Good! Daddy said you can help me with my reading after school."

Nathan put his hand on Maddie's shoulder and knelt down, "What do you say, Maddie-bear?"

She began batting her long, dark eyelashes and grinned toward her teacher, "Please?"

Haley giggled, "Of course I'll help you."

"Thank you!" Maddie smiled and wrapped her small arms around Miss. James' waist.

Nathan watched with a smile, noticing the look of adoration in Haley's golden brown globe-like eyes.

"Yeah, thanks again Haley-I mean, uh, Miss. James."

Looking into his eyes again, Haley smiled shyly, "It's okay. You can call me Haley, really."

He simply nodded, never once faltering his smile.

"Daddy thinks you're pretty. He told my Grandma." Maddie piped in, noticing her Dad's lingering eyes and silly grin.

The blush on Haley's cheeks only intensified and she mentally cursed her defying blood vessels which often ignited during the worst of times.

"Maddie-" Nathan nervously warned. He knew his daughter. She may not have the best grades, but that girl was smart. She could pick up on anything.

Haley bit her lip, "Well, your Daddy's very sweet." She said, staring into his smoldering gaze.

The churning in Nathan's stomach returned, squeezing every internal organ to a pulp, and he was sure he'd start melting right there.

"My Daddy's the best!" Maddie boasted eagerly.

Haley smiled animatedly. "Well then, you're very lucky to have him."  
Maddie nodded in agreement, before asking, "Miss. James? Do you have a boyfriend?"

If Haley wasn't already red before, she surely was now. "Um, no sweetie, I don't."  
"My Uncle Lucas says Daddy needs to get a girlfriend."

Nathan's eyes widened at his daughter's comment, "Okay Mads, I think it's time for me to go. And I think I have to have a talk with your Uncle Luke." He mumbled.

Haley laughed under her breath, watching as Nathan leaned in to hug his daughter goodbye. "Be good, okay? I love you, little bear."

"I love you too, Daddy! To the moon and back!"

Nathan chuckled and placed a soft kiss on his daughter's forehead. "I'll pick you up later."

With that, he stood up and grinned in Haley's direction. "Have a nice day, Haley."

"Thank you, Nathan. You too."

"Uh, so I guess I'll see you around 3:30?"

Haley nodded, "3:30 it is."

Nathan stared at her, smiling, for a few more seconds before clearing his throat. "Oh, and uh-" he brought his hand up to his tan neck, rubbing the spot awkwardly. "What I said yesterday when I left, um, it's true today too."

Haley had to sink her teeth into her lower lip so she didn't grin like an idiot. His words repeated in her mind and she wanted to squeal like a teenager.

" _I think you're beautiful."_


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't think I've updated two days in a row, in like, forever! So no, your eyes are not deceiving you, haha. So, I have a ton of homework and my arms are probably going to fall off from typing this for five hours, but I just couldn't stop writing this. Plus, huge shoutout to Mel who got my butt in gear and told me to write. Unfortunately, don't get used to the daily updated. I'll try for weekly, but college is a killer.**

 **For those of you reading Halo, that'll be the next update- I'm shooting for Saturday. I'll try my best.**

 **Thanks for all the reviews. You guys rock.**

 **Sorry for any mistakes… didn't have time to proofread.**

* * *

"-and then the boy pet the black dog."

Haley smiled triumphantly at the clear pronunciation from the student beside her. She's been helping Madeline Scott with reading for the past three weeks, and has already noticed a drastic improvement. "Great job, Mads! You read that perfectly."

Maddie looked up from her book grinning, displaying a pair of adorable sprinkle sized dimples. "Really?"

Haley nodded, the excitement from Maddie's grin projecting onto her own eager smile. "Yep. You're getting really great at reading. Soon you'll be even better than me!"

A small giggle escaped from between Maddie's lips. "Daddy said I read better than him, too."

At the mention of Madeline's father, Haley's heart rate began bouncing wildly through the walls of her chest. It's been happening a lot, lately. She couldn't seem to stop thinking about the crystal colors sparkling around the iris' of his perfect eyes. She swore the color would put the Bermuda oceans to shame.

Of course, it didn't help matters that his daughter seemed to have replicated the exact same color and would look at her constantly.

Maddie was adorable. Haley knew she shouldn't show favorites but it was hard not to favor the sweet girl. After tutoring her after school at least twice a week, Haley's gotten to know Maddie quite well.

It was nice, and Haley truthfully valued those sessions. Maddie was quiet in class, but for some reason, would turn into a chatterbox when she was alone with the teacher. Not that Haley minded, because she didn't. In fact, she loved listening to her recall stories about Nathan. He seemed like a really great father and it warmed her heart. That girl really was extremely lucky to have him in her life.

Haley thought of her own father; Jimmy James. She too had a close relationship with her parents, and when she was Maddie's age, she remembered adoring Jimmy, gloating about how she was his little princess.

A soft sigh emit from between her lips. She missed him. He had passed away when she was in her senior year of college. Haley took it hard; so hard, she nearly didn't graduate. Luckily she had her mother and siblings to lean on during the tragic time.

"What's wrong, Miss. James?"

Haley was pulled from her reverie at the sound of Maddie's soft, raspy voice. That girl, she learned, was incredibly perceptive.

Pasting on a warm smile, Haley shook her head, "Nothing, sweetie. I was just thinking of my Dad."

"Oh. Where is he?"

Haley smiled sadly, "He's in heaven. He passed away a few years ago."

Maddie frowned, wrapping her arms around her teacher softly. "I'm sorry. My Daddy said my Mommy is in heaven too."

Haley blinked rapidly, attempting to keep the burning tears at bay, but they were threatening to spill any second. She often wondered what happened to Maddie's mother, but didn't want to press the subject. Now she wondered if Nathan had been in mourning for the mother of his child. Were they married? He must have loved her, and he lost her.

A pang interfered the bouncing of her heart, but she didn't know why.

Yet, her heart only increased its warmth at the feel of Maddie hugging her. She was so caring, and Haley couldn't wait to brag to Nathan about how wonderful his daughter is.

"I'm sorry, too, Mads."

Maddie shrugged simply, "It's okay. I never met my Mommy. Daddy said it's okay because I have him. He takes care of me. And Nanny Deb, too. Daddy also said some people don't need Mommies as long as they have Daddies who love them a lot. But sometimes I wish I had a Mommy who could do my hair pretty because Daddy doesn't know how, and sometimes he feels lonely. That's what my Uncle Lucas says-"

Haley chuckled softly, gently squeezing Maddie's hand at the end of her little rant. "I can do your hair pretty, if you ever want."

She watched Maddie's blue eyes light up, like diamonds under a sun. "You will?"

"Of course."

"Thanks Miss. James. You're the bestest."

Haley didn't have it in her to correct the young girl's grammar, and instead, smiled brightly.

Before either could continue, there was a knock at the door.

"Daddy!" Maddie untangled her arms from around Haley's waist and ran over to a smirking Nathan, throwing herself into his eager arms.

"Hi Maddie-bear." Nathan greeted, dropping a kiss on her long dark hair. "How are you?"

"Good! Miss. James said I'm a really good reader and she said she'd do my hair all pretty because you can't."

Nathan looked over at Haley who stood with her arms folded nervously over chest, smiling softly.

"Oh really?" His tone was flirty. He couldn't control it. And damn, did she look good today, he thought, his smirk only crookeding.

Haley fiddled with a gold band on her pinky finger. "Maddie, uh, told me about her mother. I'm sorry for your loss, Nathan."

Nathan blinked, clearly not prepared for this turn in conversation. He glanced back at his daughter who was bouncing obliviously on her toes. "Uh, what did you say, Mads?"

"That Mommy is in heaven and I never met her," she said, shrugging again, clearly unfazed.

Nathan cleared his throat, wracking his brain for something to say. It's not like he wanted to tell his daughter's hot teacher about how he knocked-up some random chick, and was a complete clueless idiot for the first year of Maddie's life. Yeah, no- that's definitely not a way to win over someone's heart.

"Right, well, uh-" He really couldn't form a coherent sentence. Another example of how not to win over a gorgeous woman.

Haley reached out and placed a comforting hand on Nathan's exposed tricep. The sleeves of his blue button-up shirt were rolled to his elbows, exposing his deliciously tanned, and veiny arms.

Mhmm.

Haley nearly licked her suddenly all too dry lips. The man in front of her was easily the most attractive guy she has ever laid her eyes on.

The adults both ignored the fiery heat emitting from their skin-to-skin contact. And just like if touching a stove, Haley withdrew her hand quickly, scorched by his hot flesh.

She smiled shyly, looking down at her black heels.

"Thank you, Haley, but Maddie's mother and I, um, we never…" his words trailed into silent air.

Haley shook her head, "That's okay. It's none of my business. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry."

Nathan smiled thankfully, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

Clapping her hands together, Haley then looked down at Maddie with an excited smile, "She really is improving. We probably don't have to meet as much, as long as you keep reading with her." Her gaze shifted to Nathan who was wearing a proud grin.

"No!" Maddie interjected, "I wanna keep staying with you."

Nathan and Haley shared a soft laugh, "Mads, I'm sure Miss. James has other things to do, kiddo."

He watched her smile falter and shoulders slump. His daughter really was a flair for the dramatics, sometimes.

"Trust me, I have nothing going on. I'd be more than happy to stay with Maddie after school. I just don't want to waste your time. I know you leave work early to come and get her-"

Nathan shook his head, grabbing Maddie's backpack from her tiny hands. "Nah, don't even worry about it. I need an excuse to get away from it anyway. Plus, I don't mind seeing you everyday." He added the last part quietly, hoping it didn't come off creepy, but from the blush igniting on her cheeks, Nathan assumed it wasn't.

Haley continued to stare at her shoes, hoping to all Hell he couldn't see her tomato face.

She didn't know what this man was doing to her, but one look from him and she became a bright red christmas light bulb.

Deciding it would be best to change the subject before she embarrassed herself completely, Haley leaned down to help Maddie button her coat. "How about you come in on Monday and read your favorite book to the class? How does that sound?"

"Can I?"

"Of course. I'm really proud of you, Maddie."

"Thanks, Miss. James."

They shared another quick hug before parting ways. "Enjoy your weekend," she said.

"I'm gonna practice reading!" Maddie announced.

"Oh boy," Nathan chuckled, shifting the backpack onto his other shoulder.

"I'll see you Monday." Haley beamed.

Nathan nodded, "Looking forward to it."

Her insides wrenched like a wet towel at the sight of that damn sexy smirk. God, she was pathetic.

"Yeah, I can't wait!" Maddie squealed.

"Come on, Superstar. Let's let Miss. James leave. I'm sure she has somewhere to be." Nathan said, grabbing Maddie' hand between his.

Haley laughed, "Ah yes, if somewhere to be means my couch and a glass of Cabernet, then yes. My weekend is completely booked."

Nathan chuckled, "See, I was expecting you to say you had a hot date or something."

Haley snorted sarcastically, "Right, totally."

"Why not?" He turned serious.

Her red hue flushed pink. This probably wasn't an appropriate conversation to be having with a student's parent.

"I don't know." She mumbled, anyway. "Why don't you?" She countered.

"My date is this one," he pointed to Maddie with a smile, who was already flipping avidly through a picture book and oblivious to the flirting between her father and teacher. "We're going to the movies tomorrow night."

Her heart swelled again, she thought she'd die from heart failure. "That's sweet. Have fun."

"Thanks." He nodded in goodbye and they shared a lingering smile, before Maddie looked up and waved.

"Bye, Miss. James. Thanks again!"

"Anytime, Maddie. See you, Monday."

Nathan and Maddie neared the exit of the door, only for Nathan to quickly turn and flash her his smirk again. "Bye Haley."

She was again, rendered speechless, and could only wave. Words hung in the back of her throat, waiting to be said, but never came.

Only one thing was for sure, she had a serious crush on Nathan Scott.

* * *

"I cannot believe you dragged me here." Haley groaned, as Brooke all but forced her into the entrance of Tric. She had every intention of staying home tonight, drowning her feelings in Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, and crying as she watched The Notebook. She needed something to get her mind off of Nathan, for she knew it was borderline unhealthy for the amount of times his name appeared in her mind, let alone that freakin' smirk. God!

"Yeah, well someone had to drag your sorry ass out of the apartment. Plus, you've been so sulky. It's time to get you laid."

" _Brooke_!" Haley admonished.

"What? It's been, like, forever, tutor girl and you're getting old."

Haley ran her hand through her golden highlighted hair, and sighed. "I'm perfectly content with my life right now, thank you very much."

Brooke gave her a pointed look, "I know you've been thinking about the DILF in your class-"

"The _WHAT_?" Haley shrieked, causing a few heads to turn, even in a loud club.

"The Dad I'd Like to F-, well, technically in this case it's the Dad You'd Like to Fu-"

"Yes, Brooke, I know what DILF means." Haley whisper-yelled. "But, no I haven't been thinking of him."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "You're not a good liar, Haley James. The blush on your cheeks everyday and right now indicates otherwise."

Haley groaned in frustration, knowing her friend caught her red handed; or red faced. Either way, Brooke knew Haley's thoughts on Madeline's father were anything but pure.

"I need a drink."

* * *

He didn't know why, but somehow Clay had convinced him to go out tonight. Nathan would have been more than content to just stay in with Maddie and watch her play with her dolls, but no. Clay and his brother Lucas teamed up on him. They even went as far as to drop Maddie off at Deb's house, just in case Nathan needed the house alone.

He rolled his eyes, arguing that he definitely wouldn't be doing _that_ tonight.

"I'm worried man. You're gonna turn into a monk soon." Clay joked, shoving yet another shot of Cuervo under Nathan's nose.

"Forget it man. You know Maddie comes first."

"Maddie is at your Mom's tonight. I know she's your main priority but you need to loosen up. In all seriousness when was the last time you went out, let alone got drunk?"

Nathan mumbled under his breath and poured the shot down his throat, flinching in the process. "Damn, that's strong."

Clay grinned, patting Nathan on the back. "Good. Now see any girls you like?"

Shrugging, Nathan fumbled with the empty shot glass in his hands. "Nah."

"You didn't even look!"

Lucas laughed from beside his brother and shook his head, "It's useless man. Nate's been sulking about a woman."

"What?" Clay's eyebrows shot up, smirking widely. "Who is it?"

"Maddie's teacher." Lucas answered for Nathan.

"Nice. A teacher. That's hot."

Nathan snarled, "It's not like that."

"Maddie told me - and I quote - you said she was beautiful."

Nathan hung his head in his hands, "You and my daughter need to stop conspiring about me. It's weird, dude."

"Wow. That's a first," Clay commented, ordering another round of shots. "You called a woman, 'beautiful?'"

"I know. I'm an idiot. She's Maddie's teacher and every time I open my damn mouth, I end up flirting with her."

"So? What, is she like married or something? Old?"

"No. And no. She's probably our age. She's freakin' gorgeous Clay. Like, I feel sick when I'm around her."

"Awww," Clay cooed sarcastically. "That's so cute. You have a crush!"

"That's the thing though," Nathan muttered, ignoring Clay's puerile antics. "Maddie adores her and she adores Maddie. Nothing can happen between us."

"Why not?" Lucas interjected.

"Well first of all, I don't even know if she's interested. She doesn't really flirt back. I don't know, she just kind of blushes. I probably make her uncomfortable."

"Here's a thought." Clay said. "Why don't you grow a pair of balls and ask her out?"

Nathan slumped over in the barstool, "She values her job too much. I don't want to take advantage of that. It might look bad."

"Who cares? Look, she's only Maddie's teacher for the next few months and then that's it. Do you actually like this chick?"

Nathan nodded meekly, "More than you know."

"So do it. You owe it to yourself. Even Mads loves her, right? Go for it. You never know. She would be the one." Lucas coached.

Clay scoffed, taking a swig of beer. "You're such a girl, Luke."  
Lucas rolled his eyes, "Whatever, I'm just trying to get Nathan out there."

"I'm the one who brought him to the bar tonight!" Clay argued.

"And _he's_ sitting right here." Nathan snarled. "Look, I appreciate the help, guys, but I'm a grown-up. I can handle this, okay?"

Clay shrugged, "Okay, well, either way, there's a really hot chick staring at you right now and you'd be a fool to let that up. If you're not gonna go up to her, then I sure as hell will."

Nathan looked up and searched the direction in which Clay was pointing.

"No way," he stuttered in disbelief, his heart increasing tenfold. "Oh shit, man."

"What? You know her or something?"

"That's Maddie's teacher."

* * *

"What do you keep looking at?" Brooke asked in between sipping her Martini.

Haley's eyes darted back to Brooke. "No one."

"Spot a hot guy? Who is it? Oh! Is it the spiky blonde? He's cute, but I gotta say, I don't really think he's your type. The other blonde is hot, too. Yummy! I could go for him. I know you saw him first, but I think I need to steal him-"

"You can have him Brooke. I wasn't looking at him."

"Then who- Oh my God! It's the dark haired guy, with blue eyes? Oh yea, I so approve. He's hot, Hales! And he's totally checking you out. Go up to him."

"No!" Haley shook her head furiously, "No way."

"Why not? He's clearly into you. Come on." Before Haley even had a chance to protest, Brooke jumped up and grabbed her wrist, dragging her to the bar.

"Brooke, I'm going to kill you!" Haley seethed.

Brooke ignored her friend's pleas and marched straight up to the bar where the three gorgeous men were gathered.

"Hi, I'm Brooke Davis."

Lucas was the first to turn around and smile charmingly, "Lucas Scott."

"Yeah, yeah," she rushed out, "It's nice to meet you and all, but my friend here thinks your friend is hot, so-"

Clay jabbed Nathan in the stomach, who resembled a statue with its mouth wide open.

"Nate."

Nathan shook his head and swallowed, trying not to choke on his tongue, "Haley, h-hi."

Haley flushed, "Hi, Nathan."

"Wait, you two know each other?" Brooke asked, dumbfounded.

"Um, his daughter's in my class." She mumbled quietly, hoping Brooke would get the hint.

"Wait, you're the hot teacher Nathan won't shut up about?"

Nathan's eyes widened at his brother's comment.

"And you must be the hot Dad Haley always gushes about." Brooke squealed.

"Hot Dad?" Clay snickered, "That's a good one."

Nathan and Haley avoided eye contact, both wanting the ground to open up and swallow them whole.

Sensing her discomfort, Nathan stood up and jerked his head, "Uh, actually Haley and I need to discuss something about Maddie right now. We'll be back." Without a word, he held onto Haley's hand, gently leading her to the other side of the club.

"I'm so sorry about them," Nathan apologized immediately, once they were in a quieter corner, away from prying eyes and ears.

Haley shook her head, "No, I'm the one who should be apologizing. My friend Brooke, well she's a little tipsy and she saw me staring and-"

Nathan smiled softly, "It's okay. Don't worry about it. My friend and brother are idiots, too. Just ignore anything they say."

"So, this is totally inappropriate isn't it?" Haley mumbled, dropping her gaze to the floor.

"I don't think so." Nathan shrugged.

"I'm your daughter's teacher." Haley supplied.

"So?"  
"And my friend totally just admitted that I think you're hot and-"

"Well, that's not a problem. I think you're hot too." He smirked, causing her to blush yet again.

Haley's teeth grazed the skin of her lower lip, "Nathan-"

"Go out with me." He cut her off, smiling hopefully. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"What?" She had to have heard him wrong. Nathan Scott did not just ask, well demand, they go out together.

"Let's go out. On a date. Please?"

Haley looked up and took in his glistening blue eyes; they were gleaming with shimmering hope and jubilance. He looked like a blissful child on Christmas morning.

"I- you're sweet, Nathan, but we can't." Her palms were sweating.

She watched the hope in his eyes burn out, his shoulders visibly slumped. "Why not?"

She wracked her brain, which was screaming at her to say yes, but the reasoning in her head spoke otherwise. "I'm Maddie's teacher! You're her parent. We just..., we can't. I'm sorry."

Nathan wouldn't give up, his grip on her wrist remained gentle, but didn't stray. "Then let me buy you a drink? How about a screaming orgasm?"

"A what!?" Haley's brown eyes widened as large as saucers, and if Nathan wasn't about to defecate in his pants, he would have laughed at the comedy of it.

"No, I mean, the drink." He recovered, stumbling over his words, "Not, well, you know. Although, I can gladly give you one of those too."

Haley's jaw dropped at his brashness, "Nathan Scott!"  
His eyes dropped, realizing what he just said. His damn mouth moved faster than his brain. Either that or he was thinking with the wrong head, "Shit, I… God, Hales, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just… you're making me nervous, and I can't think about anything but you. You're beautiful Haley. You're kind, and you're smart, and you're amazing with Maddie. She adores you. Seeing you is the highlight of my day everyday and I can't focus on anything anymore. Just, please. One date."

Her lips were pursed together, trying desperately not to smile at his adorable rant. He was too cute. And he wanted to date her. She knew it was wrong. And probably not allowed, but those eyes, and his arms, and God, that SMIRK, how the hell was she going to turn that down?

"I won't take no as an answer," he persisted again.

Haley let her lips loosen, curving into a gentle grin. "I'll think about it."


	5. Chapter 5

"So what did you say?"

"I said I'd think about it and walked away!"

Brooke rested against the counter of her and Haley's kitchen, arms crossed over her chest, and a heavy frown sagging on her lips. "You walked away?"

Haley sighed, looking into her coffee cup, searching for a distraction but the effort was futile. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because, Brooke. I'd love to go out with him but his daughter is my student. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed."

"Who cares," Brooke muttered, "He's hot and clearly into you. Just go on one date, have hot sex—I'll bet he's big—and call it a day."

Blushing and ignoring the 'big' comment, Haley's teeth grazed the lower portion of her lip. "You know I'm not that type of girl."

"Make an exception."

She shook her head. Since Nathan asked her out, Haley had been weighing the options constantly. Of course the bigger part of her was weighing her down, screaming that she should say yes, but then there was the smaller part of her—the more rational part—that was preventing her from tipping the scale and going for it.

"What if he wants more?"

"I'm sure he'd be happy with what he'd get," Brooke smirked knowingly, before lifting the spoon of Cheerios she was holding, into her mouth.

"I don't know, Tigger. Maybe he was drunk and didn't mean it." Haley said, absentmindedly tracing the rim of the mug with her finger.

"I highly doubt that, Hales. When's the next time you see him?"

Glancing at the time on the clock, she sighed, "Well, if he drops Maddie off today, then in about an hour."

"What're you gonna say?"

Haley looked up, her brown eyes a mere reflection of the black coffee sinking in her cup, "I really don't know."

"Just go on one date." Brooke voiced, almost pleadingly. "Come on, he's so cute!"

Haley smiled softly. Nathan was really cute. Too cute for his own good, which is why she really wanted to say yes. The problem? She just knew one date wasn't going to be enough.

"And he'll still be cute in six months when his daughter is no longer in my class and we can be in a real relationship," she quipped, standing up to put on her coat.

"What happens if he's taken by then?" Brooke questioned, following her friend to their front door.

Haley slipped on her black heels and pursed her lips, "If we're meant to be, he'll still be single."

Brooke shook her head again, disapprovingly. "So you're saying no?"

"I'm saying no for right now."

"You're gonna regret this, Haley James."

Nathan ran his hands tiredly over his face. The light emanating from the computer screen burned his eyes. Looking up, he saw Clay standing in the doorway of his office with a knowing smirk.

"How's the teacher in bed?"

Nathan's blue eyes widened, "What?"

"Maddie's teacher." The quirky blonde reiterated followed by a quiet 'duh.' "How is she?"

"Not that it would be any of your business, I wouldn't know; she turned me down." Nathan all but grumbled, glancing back at the file in front of him, flashing on the screen.

Clay walked over and sat on the edge of the desk, replacing his cocky smirk with a somber frown. "I'm sorry, buddy. What happened?"

"I don't know. I asked her out at Tric, and she gave me a million reasons not to. I told her I wouldn't take no for an answer so she said she'd think about it, but every guy knows that's code for 'no.'"

"Well, how do you know for sure? Did you see her this morning after dropping Maddie off?"

"I didn't go today. My Mom did it. I couldn't face rejection twice."

Clay rolled his eyes, "You're an idiot, Nate."

Nathan leaned back in his chair, "Why?"

"Maybe this morning she would have said yes."

"I don't know, man. She seemed pretty set. I screwed up and now I'm never going to be able to face her again." He sighed dejectedly.

Shaking his head, Clay gently shoved Nathan, who looked up gapingly. "What the hell?"

"Dude, you need to face her. Even if she says no, at least she knew your feelings were real. It looks bad when you ask a girl out and then don't follow up on it."

"I don't want her to think I'm some creepy stalker or something," Nathan mumbled, inwardly knowingly his friend/boss was right.

"Ask her one more time. If she says no, move on. At least you tried."

Nathan nodded, "Okay, yeah. You're right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right. Oh, and if she says yes, tell her friend to give me a call. You know, the brunette. Yeah, she was hot."

Nathan rolled his eyes, "Get out of here, man."

Haley felt a sting of dejection when Maddie's Grandma stepped in the classroom as she had been hoping to see Nathan.

"Nanny Deb!" Maddie squealed from her spot at the desk, and ran over to the older woman. "Guess what? let me read to the class!"

Deb's smile widened as she leaned down to hug her granddaughter. "Oh, that's wonderful, Mads. I bet you did great."

"She did. I'm so proud of you, Maddie." Haley commended, walking over to them.

" , you look lovely, it's nice seeing you again." Deb smiled, noticing the young woman.

A pink blush ignited Haley's cheeks, "Oh, thank you, Ms. Scott. It's nice to see you, too." In all honesty, Haley really did think Nathan's mother was a sweetheart, but she really wanted to see him today.

"Please, call me Deb."

Haley nodded courteously, before hugging Maddie goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay sweetie?"

"Ok! Bye, ."

"Nathan sends his regards," Deb added. "He had to work all day, but I'm sure he'll see you very soon."

Haley felt the blush return, only increasing in heat. "Oh, um— yeah. Tell him hello for me."

Deb nodded, smiling knowingly before parting ways. With one last wave, Maddie said goodbye and followed her Grandma out of the classroom, leaving Haley, once again, alone.

Around fifteen minutes later, as she was packing up, Haley heard a knock on the door and glanced upwards, nearly falling in the process.

"Nathan! What're you doing here? Your mom picked Maddie up a while ago."

"I know," he said, stepping boldly into the classroom. "I'm here to see you."

She stayed rooted to the spot in front of the chalkboard, her bones shaking quietly under her skin, in congruent with the rapid beating of her heart.

Nathan slowly approached her, a bouquet of purple flowers in his hands. "Look, I want to apologize for Friday night." He started softly, looking into her sparkling brown eyes, "Some of the things I said to you were out of line. I don't mean to disrespect you, Haley, by any means. I was serious though. I want to take you out, on a date. We could go to dinner, and maybe see a movie. Whatever you want to do. I just,— you can say no, and I won't bother you anymore, I promise. This is the last time, and I probably sound really pathetic right now, but please?"

She was rendered speechless, as per usual regarding Nathan Scott.

Although she planned on saying no until Maddie was no longer her student, seeing his boyish, hopeful grin, and the flowers he bought for her in his hands, the word 'no' erased from her vocabulary.

"Okay," she said so quietly, she wondered if he'd even hear her.

But he did, and his smile widened to the mileage of Africa. "Okay?"

She nodded, her smiling mirroring his. "Yes, I'll go out with you."

Nathan smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight hug.

"You won't regret this, Ms. James."


	6. Chapter 6

Nathan stood outside of Haley's classroom, eagerly waiting for Maddie to finish this week's tutoring session. He had gotten there early, wanting to see Haley, but her door was currently closed and he didn't want to interrupt them.

He still couldn't believe she had said yes to going out with him. Unfortunately, they hadn't made proper plans, due to an interruption yesterday. Right as they were hugging, one of Haley's co-workers knocked on the door. Luckily, she hadn't been suspicious of anything, but still, Nathan didn't want to push boundaries just yet.

So, here he is, pathetically waiting outside her door, probably sweating through his shirt, ready to puke, all because he couldn't wait to see her smile. He wasn't lying when he told Haley how seeing her was the best part of his day.

Now he was sure the goofy smile on his lips would never dissipate.

When the tutoring session ended, Haley opened the door, anticipating Nathan's arrival, but nearly gasped when she saw him already standing there—albeit, with that sexy smirk of is.

"Hey."

"Hi," with only one exchange, her cheeks were already rivaling the red skin of a tomato.

His blue eyes bore longingly into hers, as if searching for the answers to life. He was sure he'd be able to find it between the warm, brown irises.

They remained silent, smiling shyly at one another, only for the moment to be broken when Maddie came running over.

"Daddy! Daddy! Guess what?"

Pulling his gaze from Haley's eyes, Nathan leaned down to be at level with his daughter, who was grinning excitedly.

"What, Mads?"

"I got a 100 on my reading quiz!"

Haley watched Nathan's eyes widen to the size of two small, blue planets, and she smiled when he grinned.

Holding up his palm, Maddie did the same, slapping it with a 'hi-5.'

"I am so proud of you, Bear." Nathan stated, then pulling Maddie into a tight hug. "I knew you could do it."

"That's 'cos is the bestest teacher in the whole wide world!"

Nathan looked back up at Haley, who was donning her own proud smile, and winked. "That she definitely is."

Haley blushed, "Maddie did it all on her own; I knew she could."

"Thank you," Maddie beamed, untangling herself from her father, and throwing her arms around her teacher, who eagerly returned the gesture.

"I think this calls for a celebration. What do you say, Maddie? You wanna get ice cream?"

Her bright blue eyes resembled crystals, sparkling brightly under the fluorescent classroom lights. "Yes! Can we please?"

"Sure can, kiddo."

"Can come? Please, please, please?" Maddie's lips pursed together in a pout, a face that her father never has the will to say 'no' to.

Haley looked at Nathan who merely shrugged, then looked back at Maddie. Biting the thin skin of her lower lip, Haley sighed softly.

"Uh, Mads, I'm sure Miss. James is busy—"

"No! I mean, I'd love to get ice cream with you, Maddie. You deserve it."

The smile stretching over the little girl's lips, not to mention Nathan's childlike grin, was well worth it.

"Really?" Nathan's voice cracked, sounding more like a twelve-year-old boy than a twenty-six-year-old man.

Haley laughed softly, "Yes, well, if you don't mind…"

"I don't mind at all. My treat. You deserve it, too. Seriously, thanks for all your help."

"Like I said, it was my pleasure," she too, grinned like a child.

"Great, then let's celebrate."

—

Fifteen minutes later, Nathan, Haley, and Maddie were strolling along the Market Street Docks, waiting in line for ice cream.

"What'll it be today, Mads? Peanut butter swirl, cookie dough, or mint chocolate chip?" Nathan asked his daughter, pulling out his wallet as they stepped up to the ice cream stand.

Maddie licked her lips, then looked up at her teacher, "What's your favorite, Ms. James?"

Haley didn't even have to think before she responded, "I'd go with the mint chocolate chip."

"Okay! Then mint chocolate chip, Daddy."

Nathan smirked, catching Haley's knowing smile.

"Alright, three mint chocolate chips it is, please." Nathan ordered with a polite smile.

"You like mint chocolate chip, too? See, I would have pegged you as more of a Rocky Road type of guy." Haley teased with an innocent, yet flirty grin.

Nathan shrugged, exchanging money for the ice cream, "How come?"

"Well, I read this article in Cosmo once and it said you can tell a lot about a person depending on their favorite flavor in ice cream."

Nathan chuckled, "Oh yeah? And what did it say about Rocky Road lovers?"

"A little mysterious, likes adventure, charming, and oh— very persistent."

He caught her gaze and smirked, "That is oddly accurate. Let me guess what mint chocolate chip lovers are…" he pretended to think for a moment and smiled at her sparkling eyes, "Caring. Intelligent. Patient. And beautiful."

Haley flushed a warm shade of pink, feeling her heart tingle with a fiery heat. "What makes you think that?"

He shrugged passively, "Just a haunch."

Haley met his eyes and giggled girlishly, "I don't remember exactly, but that sounds about right."

"Oh, I know it's right," Nathan smirked, then lead the girls over to a wooden bench overlooking the river. It made for a beautiful sight; the lights of Tree Hill shone magnificently, reflecting off the still and silent water. Nathan and Haley took a seat, while Maddie—who had already finished her ice cream in all but four large bites—wandered a few feet from them, watching a wobbling duck.

"Thank you for this, Nathan." Haley whispered.

"I know this wasn't what I planned for our first date, but I'm glad you came."

Haley nodded softly, "Me too."

Maddie smiled to herself, content with her ice cream induced sugar rush and the way her father kept looking all googily eyed at Ms. James. She heard her teacher laugh at something her Dad said, and her grin grew. She couldn't wait to tell Katie that Ms. James, did too, have a crush on her Dad.

Her youthful, dream-like mind began to wander. Maybe her Daddy and Ms. James would date like her Uncle Skills was dating Miss. Lauren, her old pre-school teacher. And then maybe they'd get married like her Uncle Lucas and Aunt Peyton. And then Ms. James would be her Mommy, and maybe they could finally give her a brother or sister.

Maddie beamed boisterously; she wanted nothing more than for her Daddy to date Ms. James.

"What're you smiling at, goof?" Nathan called out to his daughter, who was still joyously giggling, chasing after the ducks.

"Nothing, Daddy." Maddie replied. She didn't want to interrupt the adults date.

"Come here, you." He beckoned, softly. "It's getting dark and I don't want you wandering off. I know how you are, Madeline Scott."

"I won't wander Daddy, I promise."

Nathan nodded sternly, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets when a slight breeze fell upon them. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Haley shiver, and immediately unzipped his coat. "Here, put this on."

Haley looked up from her ice cream and shook her head, "Oh no, I couldn't.."

"It's okay, just take it." He commanded softly.

She smiled and did as requested, shimming into the coat that smelt just like him. She inhaled deeply and smiled. Mhmm.

"Thanks."

"You, uh, look nice tonight. Not that you don't look nice everyday but um…" the words were rambling out of his mouth, like water running from a leaky faucet. "You just look really nice."

Haley blushed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Thank you."

"So, are you free Friday?" He asked softly, not wanting Maddie to hear, even though she had gotten a lot closer to the bench.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I am."

"Well how about that date?"

"Oh, this wasn't it, then?" She joked, giggling softly.

Nathan chuckled, "No. This was not my plan. Trust me, I'm a lot more romantic than just ice cream."

"I don't know, I'm having a great time." Haley quipped with a sarcastic smile.

Nathan grinned, "See, I was thinking I'd take you to a nice dinner. Just the two of us," he emphasized the word 'two.'

"That sounds great."

"Good," Nathan smiled, gazing into her eyes, "So should I pick you up, or-?"

"Yeah, I'll send you my address."

"Do you have my number?"

Haley nodded, "I can get it from the parent information list."

"Sneaky, I like it." Nathan smirked, "Must be another trait of mint chocolate chip lovers."

Haley laughed, lightly punching his bicep, which she just happened to notice was oh, so large and muscular.

"Don't break your hand there, Ms. James," he teased.

Haley rolled her eyes and smiled when Maddie came over to them. "Thanks for ice cream, Daddy. I love you."

Nathan smiled back, "I love you, too. Don't forget to thank Ms. James again. She was the one who helped you."

Maddie nodded diligently, climbing onto the bench next to Haley. "Thank you for helping me."

"You're so welcome, Mads. You're extremely talented and very smart. Don't ever forget that."

Maddie beamed, flashing her adorable dimples at the adults, causing them both to laugh softly. "Daddy, can Ms. James come over?"

"Uh, actually, it's getting pretty late, sweetie. I should get home. But I'll see you tomorrow in class," Haley answered, then turned towards Nathan. "Thanks for ice cream and your jacket."

"Anytime. I owe you a lot more than just ice cream, though. You really helped a lot and I could never do enough to repay you."

"Don't worry about it." She gave him a soft smile, "I'll see you Friday, right?"

"Yep. I'm looking forward to it." Nathan smirked.

"What's Friday?" Maddie asked.

"Uh, Ms. James and I happen to be going to the same party together."

"Oh," Maddie said. "Are you guys friends?"

Nathan and Haley shared a discreet look, "Yeah. We're friends."


	7. Chapter 7

This was it; the night both Nathan and Haley had eagerly anticipated for the past twenty-four hours. Now, Nathan stood outside Haley's door clutching a bouquet of purple wild flowers he had strewn together outside of his mother's house after dropping Maddie there for the night.

He hated lying to both his daughter and his mother, but he knew he wasn't ready to tell them about his date with the teacher tonight. So instead, he had said a couple of his friends from work were getting together for the evening, and luckily, they seemed to believe it.

Nathan knocked on her door softly, fighting the urge to puke. He felt his stomach swirl with a sour pain, but deduced it as nerves.

It was just seconds later when the door swung open, revealing a beautiful yet casual Haley James.

Nathan had not seen her in a pair of jeans before, but the dark denim looked damn good on her. He particularly liked the way it fit so snugly around her smooth moon-like curves. Paired with the jeans was a loose, brown flowy v-neck top, displaying a perfect amount of cleavage. Nathan wanted to lick his lips when they dried at the mere sight of her. And finally, to top off the perfect look, Haley's light brown hair was curled softly, falling right past her shoulders. She truly was breathtaking.

"H-hi. You look … beautiful." Nathan smiled gently, unable to take his eyes off of her as he stumbled over his words.

Haley smiled, feeling her heart flutter - well, more like slam violently - against her chest. She nearly forgot to breathe. Nathan looked damn good in his light blue and white plaid button down, rolled at the elbows, matched with black jeans, making a very nice sight.

"Thank you," she beamed, "How are you?"

"Good. I'm really excited," he revealed with a nervous chuckle, "I've been waiting for this all day."

"Me too," she smiled.

"Oh, these are for you." Nathan jutted his arm out, holding out the flowers for Haley to take.

"These are beautiful! Thanks, Nathan."

He smirked, "You're welcome. Ready to go?"

"Yep, let me just put these in water." His eyes fell to her rear when she turned and walked into the kitchen. He remembered the first day her saw her. She was knelt down and all he could see was her backside. He didn't think he'd ever seen one so perfect, and now it had a brand new perspective painted to those slim jeans.

He didn't realize Haley turned around and was making her way back to him, for he was completely zoned out on where her bum was.

"Nathan?" Haley asked, lightly waving her hand in front of his eyes. "Are you okay?"

His eyes flickered away, and fell back on her beautiful face. "You have a serious ass, Haley James."  
Haley's brown eyes widened, not expecting his lewd remark, but appreciating it nonetheless. Of course, if any other man had said that to her, it would have resulted in a firm slap across the cheek, but instead, Haley blushed, sure she'd turn into the skin of a tomato.

"Oh God, I just said that out loud, didn't I? Way to go, Nathan." He mumbled, wanting to hit himself for already blowing the date.

Haley giggled softly, "It's okay."

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to degrade you like that, it's just… um… you're really attractive. Like, really, really beautiful and… damn, I can't even speak around you."

Haley bit back a smile, and placed her hand on his exposed tricep. "I'm flattered, really. Don't worry about it."

Nathan nodded, swallowing the scratchy lump in his esophagus. "Clearly I don't do this very often."

She winked, "Neither do I."

A relieved sigh emit from between his lips, "I don't want to screw this up, Haley."

"You're not going to." She gave him an encouraging smile, "Now c'mon, I'm starving."

Nathan nodded, another rush of cockiness coursing through his veins when he led Haley outside, waiting for her to lock up, then rushed over to his Range Rover so he could help her in.

Neither were able to remove the smile on their faces.

On the drive to the restaurant, they kept conversation light; discussing work and the weather, but by no means was it awkward. In fact, they talked as if they've known each other their whole life and it was quite comforting on both ends.

"So where exactly are we going to eat?" Haley asked when Nathan turned onto a different street. "I wasn't sure where you were taking me so I hope I've dressed okay."

Nathan's eyes turned from the road, and onto Haley. "Trust me, you look perfect."

She blushed, turning to meet his gaze as they shared a sweet smile before Nathan's gaze settled back on the road.

"Have you ever eaten on Market Street? There's a bunch of little restaurants lined up, over looking the water. It's one of Maddie's favorite places."

Haley smiled genuinely at the mention of his daughter. She loved how easily he brought her name up in every little conversation, completely without thought. It was obvious how important Maddie was to him and she found it really sweet.

"It's one of my favorite's too," Haley gushed. "Maddie has excellent taste."

Nathan chuckled, "If by excellent taste you mean mac 'n' cheese, then she, she has a refined pallet."

"Hey! Mac 'n' cheese is food of the Gods!" She giggled.

Nathan playfully snorted, "Yeah, if the Gods are five year olds."

She laughed, slapping his arm softly, "Where is Maddie tonight?"

"She and my Mom are having a girls night. They usually have one about once a week. I feel guilty she doesn't have a mother figure in her life and I'm not cut out for most of it half the time, so my Mom helps out. They're pretty close. It's nice."

Haley smiled warmly, "That is nice."

Nathan pulled the car into an empty spot and got out, then rushed to Haley's side to help her out.

She took his hand and held it on the short walk to the restaurant. It was a fairly nice night out, even for early November, so they didn't mind sitting outside. Nathan had called ahead, anticipating the Friday night rush, and the hostess lead them to their reserved table overlooking the water. It was a beautiful scene.

After Nathan held out the chair for Haley, the couple took a seat and perused the menu, continuing their small talk. He ordered her a Cabernet and a beer for himself.

"So, tell me more about the famous Haley James," he smirked, leaning back in his chair.

"Famous?" She laughed, "Hardly. What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Nathan said easily. "I already know you like Cabernet. Your favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. You like purple - at least that's what Maddie said because that's why it's her favorite color - and you have a friend named Brooke. But I want to know everything else inbetween. Like what made you want to teach?"

She beamed at the way he remembered things about her, plus she loved the question regarding her passion for teaching. "I love education. I love learning. I tutored in high school and it was such a thrill seeing students who once didn't understand something finally get it, y'know? It's like I mattered, and I don't know... It felt good. Plus, I love kids. I babysat for years."

Nathan watched the light reflect and burst in her eyes, clearly passionate about education.

"That's great. You're great at what you do. You should know that."

She blushed, "Thank you."

"I wish I had a teacher like you. Maybe I would've gone to class more." He quipped.

"And why is that?" She flirted back, loving the banter they shared.

"Well, first of all, you care. Not many people in my life ever cared about me. I can tell you care about every single one of your students."

Her eyes widened - she certainly wasn't expecting that, nor was she expecting her heart to twist with an oozing warmth.

He continued, "If I had a teacher who cared, maybe I would have cared more about school and my future instead of just basketball. And well, it helps that you're hot. I'm sure I wouldn't have taken my eyes off of you."

The heat from Haley's cheek infused bright red. "I'm sorry no one was there for you, Nathan. I firmly believe teachers should put an effort in caring for students."

He shrugged, "I was close with my basketball coach. Sometimes I think he was the only one who believed in me."

"What about your mom? You seem close with her."

Nathan fiddled with the linen table cloth. "I wasn't when I was growing up. Actually, uh, I didn't see much of her. She worked a lot, so for the most part, it was me and my Dad."

"Oh. I take it you and your Dad aren't close then."

He shook his head, "No. We don't speak anymore. He was really hard on me as a kid and we rarely got along. When he found out about Maddie, and that I quit the NBA, he cut me off completely. Told me I was good for nothing."

Haley's heart broke, "I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe it's a good thing you don't talk to him anymore, though. He sounds like he doesn't deserve you."

Nathan smiled softly. He rarely ever talked about his father with anyone, but with Haley, everything came out so easily. She listened. She cared. It was nice.

"Thanks, Hales."

She melted at his use of her nickname. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened with your parents? Are they not together?"

"They got divorced when I was at Duke. My mom actually had a drinking problem and had to go to rehab. When she got back, she realized how much of a Dick my dad was and divorced him. Our relationship was always strained but when she broke things off with him, we got a lot closer. Then when I had Maddie, she told me she wanted to do things right this time and we moved to Tree Hill."  
"You mentioned you have a brother," Haley said after sipping on her wine.

Nathan nodded, "Yeah, Lucas. It's funny actually. When I was at Duke, I became friends with a guy named Lucas. I never knew Dan, my Dad, had another kid but one night Luke and I got drunk and he told he about how his father abandoned him and he thought we were brothers."

"Wow, that's huge! How'd you take it?"

Nathan blew out a deep breath, "I was pissed. Not at Lucas, but at my Dad. I mean, how could he not tell me I had a brother."

"Yeah, I can't imagine that."

"It was tough for the both of us, but it brought us closer. Luke has been there for me in ways no one else could. He battled with the idea of not having a Dad but once I told him all the shit Dan did to me, he realized he was better off. Besides, his mom remarried a great guy and practically raised Lucas."

Haley listened quietly, taking in the emotions of Nathan's voice. "Well, it seems like a shitty situation turned into a great one. You gained a brother and now your Mom seems wonderful."

Nathan nodded, "And I have Maddie."

"And you have Maddie," she repeated, mirroring his smile.

"Thanks for listening to me, Haley."

She noticed the vulnerability in his eyes and squeezed his hand softly, "Anytime."

"So what was your family like?"

Haley laughed, "Gosh, where do I start? It was pretty insane in the James household like 24/7. I'm the youngest of seven-"

"What! Seriously?"

She laughed at his awestruck expression, "Yup. Seven."

"Damn, you're not kidding. Your house must have been crazy."

Haley giggled again, "Yeah, it definitely was. My one sister, Taylor, she's two years older than me is a wild child so my parents had their hands filled with her. By the time they had me, they were burnt out so I pretty much raised myself."

"I'd say you turned out just fine," he grinned, loving the fact he could make her blush so easily.

"Try telling my mom that," she joked. "No, in all seriousness, I love my family. We're all really close. Well, Taylor and I don't always see eye-to-eye but my other two sisters, Vivian and Quinn, they're my rocks. Unfortunately Viv lives in Florida and Quinn travels everywhere so I don't see them much. Brooke is like my other sister though. We live together now and grew up together. My parents always called her the 8th James."

Nathan smiled, "That's nice you had them growing up. I wish I had Lucas."

She nodded, "Yeah, I don't know what I'd do without them. I don't see my brother's as often as I'd like either, but I know they're always there for me."

"You grew up here right?"

"Born and raised," Haley beamed proudly. "I only lasted four years in California then came right back here. I was home sick the whole time."

"Are your parents still in Tree Hill?"

He noticed Haley's smile falter for a moment, "Actually, my Dad passed away a few years ago and my Mom has really struggled with his death so she's kind of all over the place. She said she couldn't live in Tree Hill without him. Too many memories."

"I'm so sorry, Hales," Nathan muttered. "I can't imagine how hard that must have been."

"Yeah, it was a dark time in my life but I leaned on my siblings and we got through it. I still miss him, everyday, but I know he's still with me." She smiled, teary-eyed.

"He is. And I know he must be so proud of you," Nathan swore.

Haley bit her lip, blinking to keep her tears at bay. "Thank you, and ugh, I'm sorry for getting all emotional. I just can't help it-"

"Hey, it's cool. I understand." Nathan gave her a soft, yet warm smile, trying to ease her pain.

"Thank you." She whispered.

At that moment, the waiter came to take their orders. Nathan asking for the prime rib, and Haley asking for the grilled chicken with a side of mac 'n' cheese. After scribbling the order down, the waiter promptly rushed to the next table, once again leaving the couple alone.

"You know I was serious before, right?" Nathan spoke.

"About what?" She asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"If you were my teacher I wouldn't have been able to take my eyes off of you. Hell, they haven't left you all night."

She blushed, "You're just filled with lines aren't you?"

"You haven't even seen my A game yet, Haley James," He said with a giant smirk.

"Lord help me if that's true," she giggled, running her heel along his leg playfully underneath the table.

He chuckled along with her, but was interrupted when a tall, blonde woman with a disapproving snarl stopped in front of their table.

" , hello."

Haley pulled her hand away from Nathan's, and cleared her throat. "Hi, Mrs. Rhoads. How are you?"

She ignored the question, "You're Maddie's father, right?" The older woman asked, peeling her eyes at Nathan.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Uh, yeah. Nathan Scott."

"I'm Elizabeth's mother, Rebecca. I didn't know you two were dating." She sneered with pure disdain.

Haley fidgeted, unsure of what to say. She looked at the panicked expression on Nathan's face and inhaled deeply.

"We're just, uhm-"

Rebecca clacked her lips together, "No wonder Maddie always receives special attention. You're sleeping with her father!"

Nathan's jaw clenched as he stood up abruptly, "Listen _Rebecca_ , you don't know anything, so I suggest you keep your mouth shut-"

"Nathan!" Haley pleaded, "It's okay."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Just wait until the PTA hears about this," she snit.

"Mrs. Rhoads-" Haley began, but stopped when the mother of one of her students shook her head and walked away.

Haley watched and sunk low in her chair, "I'm so sorry-"

Nathan sighed, "Me too. We should have went somewhere more private."

"No, no, it's okay. I'm having a great time." She tried to reassure him.

"I don't want you to get in trouble."

Haley blew out a deep breath, "I'll deal with it," she mumbled, inwardly fretting what this would do to her reputation. She was really enjoying her time with Nathan, but of course one of the parent's had to see them together and now she didn't know what to do.

"Should I take you home?"

She remained silent for several seconds before answering; "I think that'd be best."

Nathan's face fell momentarily but recovered when the waiter came with the check. He promptly paid for their meal and lead Haley back to the car, silently. The drive to her house was also quiet as the two processed their thoughts.

When they pulled up in front of her building, Nathan once again helped her out of the car and walked her to the door. They stood, fidgeting, outside her apartment neither knowing what to say.

"I really did have a nice time tonight, Nathan. Thank you for everything," Haley said softly, unable to hide her smile.

"So did I," he grinned, "And I'd love to go out again sometime."

Her heart ceased with a stab of regret, "I don't know if that's a good idea."  
Nathan's burning eyes looked up from the ground and stared into her avoiding eyes. "What?"

She nipped at her lower lip, trying to locate the right words. "Nathan, I like you, a lot-"

"I like you a lot too so I don't see why I can't take you out again-"

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the look of dejection in his eyes, "One date, Nathan. That's all I could give you right now. I'm sorry. I had the best time, and that's what scares me. Until Maddie is no longer my student, nothing more can happen between us."

He sighed, "Is this what that Rebecca woman said?"

"No. Okay, maybe a little, but seriously Nathan… I can feel myself falling for you and that just can't happen right now. I know how much Maddie means to you and I'm trying to keep her best interest in mind. Please try to understand that."

He nodded after swallowing the coal sized lump lodged in the back of his throat, "I understand."

"I'm sorry. I really wish things were different." She whispered, clutching her chest.

"Me too," Nathan frowned. "Goodnight, Haley."

She smiled sadly before pressing a soft kiss against his stubble lined cheek, "You're a good man, Nathan Scott."

He merely nodded, before turning away, utterly disheartened, wondering how one great night could turn to ruins.

 **I promise this is not the end of Naley… it's only the beginning.**

 **Next chapter will pick up the following day and don't worry, it'll make up for the end of this crappy date. Stay tuned, and enjoy Thanksgiving!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Good morning, class!" Haley greeted her students with a beaming smile, as per her usual ritual. The first-graders eagerly responded with a cheery chorus of hellos, then began their assignment that was written on the board while Haley took attendance.

The classroom was mostly silent, with the interruption of the occasional cough, sneeze, pencil tap, and whisper.

When the majority of the students seemed to be finished, Haley stood in front of the chalk board and went over the math problem; it was 11 + 4.

No one dared raise their hand, so she decided to call on Maddie, who was sitting in the front row, bright blue eyed and all.

Haley tried to ignore the pounding pain in her stomach when she thought of the man with those same blue eyes and how she desperately wished their circumstance was different.

"Maddie, did you get an answer?" Haley asked gently, folding her hands in front of her.

Maddie nodded shyly, giving her favorite teacher a tiny grin. "Um, I got 16."

Haley bit her lip, "So close! Subtract one and you'll have the answer."

Maddie furrowed her eyebrows, feeling the eyes of every student on her as she tried to mentally compute the answer. She froze nervously, not liking the sudden attention. "Uh…" she said to fill the silence, which was soon broken by a chorus of giggles.

Haley turned sharply to the back of the class where Elizabeth was whispering loudly to a group of friends. "She's so dumb!"

Maddie heard the menacing words, and looked down at the ground, blinking hard so the tears burning below the brims of her eyes wouldn't be seen.

"It's okay, Maddie." Haley said with an encouraging smile, feeling her heart breaking. She then walked closer to the back, folded arms across her chest, and a disappointed frown.

"Elizabeth. We don't tease people in this classroom. I don't want to hear another word out of you unless it's an apology to Madeline. Do you understand me?" She reprimanded sternly.

Elizabeth scowled dramatically, "It's not fair you favorite her. My mommy says you're sleeping in the same bed with her Daddy."

Haley, for the first time in her teaching career, was rendered speechless. How did a six-year-old have the ability to be so cruel? She visibly blanched, nearly stumbling over her own two feet.

With wide eyes, Haley sighed. "Not another word, Elizabeth. I mean it."

The rest of the students, feeling the tension radiating between the pale yellow walls, stood ram-rod straight at their desks, afraid to speak.

Maddie, however, felt her jaw drop. Was it true? Did Miss James and her Dad have a sleep over? She wondered if they were dating, but as she thought about it, she had her doubts. For the past week, her Grandma Deb had dropped her off and picked her up from school because her Dad was too busy with work. If they were dating, wouldn't he want to see Miss James? But then again, maybe they were dating secretly! She'd have to talk about it more at recess and do some serious investigating… at that thought, her tears disappeared, and her sad pout flipped into a full blown smirk.

xoxoxoxox

Finally, it was lunch time, and Maddie flew out of the classroom like a batt out of hell. Instead of confronting Elizabeth about the rude remark, Maddie plastered on a smile and tried befriending the blonde, pig-tailed, girl.

"What do you want?" Elizabeth snarled when she noticed Maddie sit next to her at the lunch table.

"I want to know what you meant about my Dad and Miss James."

"You don't know?" Elizabeth smirked at the potential situation to gossip.

Maddie shook her head no.

"Well," Elizabeth began, quite proudly, one might add, "My Mom said she saw Miss James and your Dad on a date last Friday night!"

Maddie's blue eyes sparkled with excitement, "Really?"

"Yeah, but then she said they started fighting."

"Why?"

"Dunno," the blonde shrugged, taking a large bite from her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "But then my mom said they do sex."

"What's sex?" Maddie asked innocently.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "You ask a lotta questions."

"But what is it?" She pestered.

"It's when a boy and girl share a bed and kiss on top of each other naked!"

Maddie's eyebrows arched curiously over her head, "But that's gross!" She couldn't understand why her Dad and her teacher would do that.

"Katie said that's how babies are made, too."

Now Maddie's eyes stretched even further. "Really?"

"Uh-huh."

Maddie beamed excitedly. Maybe now her Dad and Miss James would get married and really have a baby together. She couldn't wait to ask her Dad about it.

Elizabeth noted the elation on Maddie's face and glared, "I wouldn't be too excited about it if I were you."

"Why not? I love Miss James."

Elizabeth grew bored, smacking her lips against the jelly part of her sandwich. "Yeah, well, she's only nice to you so she could get closer to your Dad."

Maddie shook her head defiantly, "That's not true!"  
"Is too." Elizabeth spat.

"You're a liar!"

"Well you're dumb!"

Maddie put her hands on her hips, "You're mean!"

"You're a loser. And Miss James is only nice to you 'cuz she does sex with your Dad! Nobody even likes you. That's why your mom left!"

Maddie felt the burning tears return, but instead of crying, she stuck her fist out, jamming it right into Elizabeth's nose.

Elizabeth then let out a wailing screech, instinctively bringing her hands up to her bleeding nose while Maddie stood there in disbelief. She just punched Elizabeth! Boy, was she gonna be in trouble.

xoxoxoxox

Nathan sat hunched over his desk, rubbing his temples after hanging up with yet another irritable and demanding client. He wondered if he was ever that annoying when he used to be in the NBA. He sure hoped not.

His thoughts came to a halt when his cellphone started ringing. Glancing at the name to see if it was important, his heart stopped in his chest.

 _Haley James._

He hadn't heard from her or seen her since their date last Friday, and if he was being honest, his ego —along with his heart— was severely bruised.

Then he remembered it was the middle of the day, which meant she was at work, and something could be wrong with Maddie, so he picked it up in a heartbeat.

"Hello?"

Haley tried to sound professional but with his husky voice on the other line, she nearly forgot why she was calling in the first place. "Nathan, I'm sorry to call you at work, but you need to come to the school."

His heart stopped, and not because he'd be seeing Haley, but because something must be wrong with his daughter.

"What happened? Is Maddie okay?" He stood up immediately, already threading his arm through the sleeve of his coat, phone pressed to his ear.

He heard her sigh into the phone, "Maddie is fine, but she's in a lot of trouble."

He gulped, "What happened?"

"She punched Elizabeth at lunch today."

Nathan nearly stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"They got into an argument and Maddie punched her."

"Oh God," Nathan mumbled, silently fretting that he'd have a mini-him on his hands. He remembered punching the lights out of quite a few kids back in his school days.

"She's in the Principal's office now."

"I'm on my way," he said.

Haley bit her lip, "Nathan?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really worried about her."

"Me too," he breathed. "I'll be there soon."

"Okay," Haley said, but it was too late. He had already hung up the phone.

xoxoxoxox

After breaking nearly every speed limit, Nathan arrived at Tree Hill Elementary school and stumbled into the Principal's office, where he found a pouting Maddie sitting with her elbows on her knees.

"Madeline Scott, you're in a lot of trouble." Nathan muttered sternly.

Maddie looked at her Dad with pleading eyes, coated with a sheer glass of tears. "I'm sorry, Daddy." Running over to him, she hugged his legs and Nathan sighed deeply, not knowing what to do. He knew that Maddie must have been provoked to do something like this, so he didn't want to assume the worst. Instead, he turned to where the principal was sitting with a look of pure disdain.

"Hi Principal Jenkins. I'm Nathan Scott, Maddie's father. What happened?"

The middle aged man frowned, folding his hands together. "Maddie, would you like to tell your father what happened?"

Maddie wiped her tears with the back of her hand and sniffled, "Elizabeth said I was dumb and then she said nobody liked me and that's why my Mommy never stayed."

Nathan's heart broke as he knelt down and pulled her into a tight embrace. "You know that's not true, Maddie-bear."

She stayed silent, hugging her Dad, and continuing to sniffle. "And you know that doesn't mean you can punch people."

"But you punched the guy at Uncle Clay's birthday party when he was being mean to him."

Nathan exhaled a deep breath, "I made a mistake. You're smarter than me, Mads. You cannot punch anyone, do you understand? If someone is being mean, you tell an adult."

Maddie nodded, "I know, Daddy. I'm really sorry."

"We'll talk more about this later, young lady." He firmly stated, before standing up and looking back at the Principal.

"So what's the punishment, sir?"

"Well, considering Maddie is only in first grade, this won't affect any records, but we take violence very seriously here so Maddie is going to be suspended for the rest of the day, and will not participate in recess for the next two weeks.

Nathan nodded in understanding, thinking it could be a lot worse. "And what about the girl who bullied Maddie?"

"Well, Elizabeth is in the nurses office right now but as soon as she's cleaned up, I'll be having a word with her as well. I can assure you this won't be happening again," Principal Jenkins said.

Nathan nodded in agreement, "Thank you. I can also assure you Maddie will not be punching anyone else. Isn't that right, Maddie?" He asked, nudging his daughter.

"I promise," she swore.

Principal Jenkins gave her a rigid smile. "Good."

"Okay, well I'm going to get Maddie's stuff from her classroom," Nathan said, "You stay here and I'll be right back."

He left Maddie in the office, then wandered through the halls until her found Haley's room. He deduced her class must still be at lunch because she was sitting alone at her desk.

Sensing his presence, Haley looked up and blushed, quickly wiping her mouth when she finished swallowing a bit of her lunch. She stood up and cleared her throat.

"Hi."

"Hi," he muttered, closing the door behind him and walking over to her.

"How's Maddie? Is she okay?"

"You know she wasn't the one who was punched, right?" Nathan grinned.

"Yes, I know that," Haley said softly, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "But if you ask me, Elizabeth had it coming," she grumbled silently.

Nathan chuckled, "Well, well, Miss James are you playing favorites?"

She cocked her jaw, "Don't start, Scott."

He held up his hands in mock surrender, "Sorry."

"I should be the one apologizing," Haley sighed, "This is my fault."

"No it's not," Nathan said firmly, yet slightly grinning, "it's mine. Maddie has my temper after all."

Haley rolled her eyes playfully, "I shouldn't have went on that date with you. It was completely unprofessional and now Maddie is getting teased because of it."

Nathan's shoulders slumped, and he frowned, "She's getting teased?"

"Elizabeth said something in class," Haley mumbled lamely. "I put a stop to it immediately but they must have started again at lunch. I wasn't there but I heard about it."

Nathan dragged a hand through his hair, "Great, this is just great. I finally fall for a beautiful, wonderful woman and Maddie has to pay the price. I just had to have you."

"Nathan—" Haley lamented, her heart aching by the look of torment on his face.

"And you know what sucks?" He continued his rant, "I still want you! I'm so into you that I completely disregarded how this would affect my daughter! I mean, you were thinking about her the whole time. You knew this would happen, and you were concerned about her. You put her first, like I should have." He shook his head in disappointment with himself, "And guess what? Instead of listening to you, the way you care for Maddie makes me want you that much more. Seriously Haley, I can't stop thinking about you. Am I that selfish? God, I'm a horrible father. Now my kid is getting into fights and punching other six-year-olds!"

"Nathan, stop it," Haley said softly, placing her hand calmingly on his bicep, "You didn't do anything wrong. We have a… connection. There's nothing wrong with that. The timing is just really shitty."

He sighed dejectedly, "I'm sorry I had to put you through this."

"Stop apologizing," she smiled gently, "I'm the one who should be sorry. I wanted you, too. I still do. That's not the problem, believe me. I knew what this could do, but I did it anyway. Yes, I care about Maddie, and I know you do too, but we're adults who were simply using our hearts. Maybe we're allowed to be selfish sometimes."

Nathan nodded, his smirk widening. "Thank you."

"For what?" She whispered.

"Everything."

She smiled wordlessly, "Don't feel guilty."

"I won't if you don't." He quipped.

She giggled, "Deal."

"So, uh, does this mean we can continue to use our hearts and explore what's in front of us?" He tried hopefully.

She bit her lip, "Nathan-,"

"Come on, we can be discreet. Nobody will have to know."

"They already do." She protested meekly.

Nathan pouted petulantly, "What if we say we're just friends? There's nothing wrong with that."

"I suppose you're right," Haley said airily.

"Of course I'm right. Come on, Hales. You can come over tomorrow and I'll cook dinner. Maddie can stay with my Mom, and no one will know. I promise."

Haley thought about it.

"What else do I have to do to convince you?" He asked.

Before she could answer, Nathan leaned down and captured her lips with a surprising kiss. Haley let out a tiny squeal, which soon turned into a slow moan when his hands snaked low around her waist, pulling her in closer. There they stood, alone in her classroom, nearly pressed up against her desk, sharing a heated kiss.

Haley felt dizzy, and pulled away to gasp for air. "That certainly did the trick," she breathed. "I'm convinced. Tomorrow night. I'll be there at seven," she whispered breathlessly. "Now go before I want to kiss you again and someone will see. I'm serious Nathan, if this is going to work, we have to be secret."

Nathan flashed his cocky grin, "Secret's safe with me, Miss James" he leaned down and pressed one more kiss against her lips, before pulling away and winking, leaving her yet again, breathless.

"I gotta go, Maddie is suspended for the rest of the day but I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered, then wandered out the door to go get Maddie. The thought of Miss. James' lips replaying in his mind like the Siren's sweet symphony.

Pulled from his lust filled daze, Nathan retreated to Maddie and gently pulled her into his arms. He then walked over to the desk and signed her out. She knew better than to say anything until they got into the car.

As happy as Nathan was, he was still a parent first, and the kiss between he and Maddie's teacher was momentarily forgotten when he remembered the trouble Maddie had gotten into. They needed to have a serious talk.

On the drive home, Maddie just had to ask the question burning in the back of her mind.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?" His eyes found hers in the rearview mirror.

"Are you and Miss James doing sex?"

He nearly slammed on the breaks. "What did you just say?" His voice rose to octaves he never knew he could reach.

"Elizabeth said you and Miss James do sex. She also said it's when a boy and girl kiss naked in bed. Is that true?"

Nathan started coughing sporadically. Partially because he never thought he'd be having this conversation with a six-year-old, and partially because he just visualized it.

"Uhhh," he stuttered, not knowing what to say, and also trying not to picture Haley naked, writhing below him. "Um, uh-"

"Is it true?" She asked again.

"N-no, Mads. Miss James and I don't have, um, se- …. _that_. Only married people can have that. Don't listen to Elizabeth anymore, okay? Nothing she says is right."

Maddie shrugged innocently, "Okay. But Daddy?"

"Uhuh?"

"She also said that's how babies are made and since I was a baby, does that mean you did sex with my mom to make me?"

Nathan gulped, and avoided the question by pointing out the window. "Why don't we get some ice cream?"

"But I'm in trouble, Daddy."

"Today's the exception."


	9. Chapter 9

Nathan had just finished stirring the pot of mac 'n' cheese, when he heard a faint knocking on the front door. Swallowing his nerves, he wiped his sweaty palms against his faded blue jeans and rushed over.

"Haley, hey. Come on in." He covered his nerves with a smooth grin, which had Haley already blushing.

She slid a piece of her light brown hair behind her ear and smiled, boldly leaning on her tiptoes and greeting Nathan with a quick peck on the lips, catching him by surprise.

"Hi," she whispered giddily, feeling her heart start to race.

They stared longingly into each other's eyes for several seconds, with Nathan's grin only pulling wider over his lips. "Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Starving," Haley breathed, following him into the house when he gently grabbed her by the hand and lead her into the kitchen.

"I hope Maddie was telling the truth when she said you loved mac 'n' cheese," Nathan joked, pointing to the steaming pot. He watched as Haley's eyes widened,

"Hell yeah, I love mac 'n' cheese," she licked her lips and he laughed.

"Okay good, well, have a seat at the table and I'll bring it over in a minute. Sorry it's not ready yet, I was late dropping Maddie off at my mom's because I had to go to the store since I forgot milk and-"

Haley cut him off when she placed her hand on his bare tricep, "I'm sure everything will be perfect. Thank you for cooking. I really appreciate it."

He smirked, "Anytime, Hales."

"And you know…" she began with a flirty smile, "it's kind of sexy when a man knows his way around a kitchen."

"Oh yeah?" Nathan played along, smirking coyly.

"Mhmm, definitely." Haley whispered, unable to pull her hand away from his arm.

Nathan's hands found their own way to her waist and pulled her flush against his chest, pulling her in for a steamy kiss.

They kissed for several seconds, similar to the kiss they shared in the classroom, only this time, Haley was backed up against the kitchen counter, with Nathan's arms some how trapping her in.

She smiled against his lips, reluctantly pulling away for air. "Wow."  
"Now that is a proper hello kiss," he stated proudly.

She giggled again, "I'll say."

He brought his fingers to her hair and placed the loose tendril behind her ear—their eyes locked. "I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look tonight."

She blushed and looked at the floor, "You really think I'm pretty?" Her voice was timid, almost in disbelief how a man of his caliber could ever look twice at her.

His playful grin turned serious, his eyes like two blue stones, set solely on her. "You're easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Haley James."

Her teeth sunk into her lower lip as she felt her insides melting, "thank you."

After another quick kiss, he leaned back and smiled. "Okay, make yourself at home. I'll bring everything out."

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks though."

They shared another secret smile before parting ways—Nathan to the kitchen and Haley to the dining room. Yet, on her way, she stopped in front of a wall filled with pictures of mostly Maddie. There were individual shots; some of her smiling at the camera and some where she wasn't looking. One picture caught her attention and she couldn't stop the giggle that emit from her lips. It looked to have been taken on her birthday, as it was an image of Maddie with her hands mushing a cake— a sinister smile on her adorable, messy cake filled face.

Haley's eyes then settled on a photo of a younger Nathan, holding Maddie when she was a baby. The smile on his face screamed pure adoration as his eyes were not looking at the camera, but at the baby in his strong arms. Haley smiled, and a rush of warmth flooded in her chest. There was just something about an attractive man holding a baby that had women melting; Haley was no different. She felt her insides twisting and her heart warm. As adorable as Maddie was now, she was even cuter as an infant. Her blue eyes were wide and sparkling, matched with a thick head of brown curls and dimples, she could've been a model.

Her gaze quickly shifted over the rest of the photos. It was clear Nathan was handy with a camera, as he loved taking pictures of both his daughter and friends. Some pictures were of him playing basketball in high school and college, and some were of him and Deb or him and Lucas. But, mostly it was of him and Maddie, or just Maddie.

Haley smiled when her gaze settled on a picture of a shirtless Nathan with a giggling Maddie on his shoulders at the beach. She couldn't help but lick her lips when she stared at his serious ab muscles. Damn, that man was fine.

"There you are!" Nathan said as he found Haley staring at the wall of pictures before the dining room. He worried she had left when she wasn't sitting down at the table.

Haley craned her neck so she could look at Nathan, who had come up from behind her.

"Sorry, I was just admiring your pictures. Maddie is seriously the cutest!"  
"Yeah, she is, but I still think you're the most beautiful."

Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, "Stop it."

"I'm serious. Don't tell her that though, I think she'd be mad at me."

Haley giggled softly, "Your secret is safe with me."

His arms wrapped around her waist as she rested the back of her head on his strong chest, silently taking in the rest of the photographs. "These pictures are really great, though."

Nathan grinned, "Yeah, I like to try and capture every moment of Maddie's life. It's hard being a single Dad, but I live for moments when she's laughing and smiling. I want her to remember a happy childhood."

Haley's breath hitched. This man was perfect. She turned in his arms and rested her palms on his cheek, "You are such a good Dad."

"I try my best," he shrugged humbly.

"I'm serious," Haley breathed, "I can't imagine how hard it is raising a child by yourself but as far as I'm concerned, you're Maddie's entire world. That little girl absolutely adores you."

Nathan smiled appreciatively, then kissed her softly. "Thank you."

Before she could respond, he pulled out his phone from his back pocket and opened the camera app, snapping a picture of him leaning down and kissing Haley again.

He then pulled away and looked at the picture, "There. Maybe one day this picture will end up on the wall."

Haley grinned giddily, then quickly stole his phone and sent it to herself. "Until then, I want it for myself so I can remember that you make me happy, too."

He smiled like a child on Christmas morning; his eyes practically lighting up the night sky. "You make me happy too, Hales. More than you know."

She popped a kiss on his cheek, then pulled his hand into the dining room. She smiled again when she saw the spread of food, two wine glasses, a flickering candle, and a vase of flowers.

"This looks great, thank you Nathan."

He pulled her chair out, helping her sit. "Anytime, gorgeous."  
Together they sat across from each other, eagerly eating and making easy conversation. They got to know each other even more than they already did, and found themselves smiling or laughing the entire time.

"I'm serious! Maddie ran naked through Target once." Nathan said, telling Haley the story of one of the worst things Maddie ever did.

"No way!" Haley cackled, nearly spitting her wine out.

"I swear. Butt naked. She was two years old and completely stripped in the food isle. I was mortified."

"What did you do?"

"I ran after her!" Nathan laughed, shaking his head at the memory. "She thought it was funny and wouldn't stop. People were staring."

Haley continued laughing, "That's so funny."

Nathan playfully scoffed, "Not at the time. I thought she was going to be a Devil."

"She's certainly not!" Haley swore, "She's the sweetest."

"Yeah, she has her devil moments, believe me." Nathan chuckled.

Haley shook her head, "I doubt it. I mean, I haven't seen her be bratty once."

"That's 'cos Elizabeth is the queen bitch of the class."

Haley laughed, "You're terrible."

"Hey, you said it yourself," Nathan quipped teasingly.

"Mmm, okay, maybe so." The corners of her lips curved upwards, betraying her.

Nathan snickered.

"Besides the whole punching thing, I'm glad Maddie's well behaved. I really was worried she'd be problematic. Lord only knows how badly I acted in school."

"I'm sure you weren't that bad."

"Oh, I was. One time I drank a beer in class."

"Nathan!" Haley admonished, "Why would you do that?"

Nathan laughed at her sexy and stern teacher voice, "I don't know, I thought I was cool or something."

She shook her head in a fit of giggles, "I'm glad you were never my student."

"You would be breaking a lot of rules if I was," he smirked cockily.

Haley blushed, "You are quite sure of yourself, Mr. Scott."

He grinned, "I know."

"I think you're safe for now. Maddie won't be drinking beer in any classes anytime soon."  
"I don't think she'd do anything bad in your class. She was so worried you'd hate her after she punched Elizabeth. That whole night she cried and even asked to call you because she wanted to apologize."

"Aw," Haley cooed, placing her hands over her warming heart, "I could never hate her."

"That's what I said," Nathan said. "You should've seen her though. I had never seen her so upset. If you think she worships me, you should only hear how she carries on about you. You're her role model."

Haley blushed, continuing to beam in pride. "I'm honored. It's so hard not to show favorites in class. Kids are so perceptive but I love having Maddie as a student. She could do no wrong in my eyes."

Nathan smiled, "I'm really glad she has you. Not just because you're hot and I'm totally crushing on you," he smirked when she playfully rolled her eyes, "but because she needs an inspiring, talented woman in her life. I know she has my mom, but it's different. She never had a mom, and well, I never dated anyone before, so she doesn't really know what it's like to have a female figure to look up to." He saw her eyes glaze and he cleared his throat, "I don't mean to scare you. I'm not dating you so you can fill that role, I'm just saying, as her teacher, she really admires you-"

"I'm glad I could be that for her," Haley swore. "It's part of the reason I became a teacher. And I really am honored she admires me so much. Maddie's a special girl."

He nodded and stood up, holding his hand out, "Come on. You wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure, but nothing-.."

"Scary. I know you hate scary movies," he laughed and walked her over to the couch where they plopped down. Immediately, Haley cuddled into his side as he grabbed the remote and flicked through the options. "How about we watch 'Casablanca?' Isn't that your favorite movie?"

"Yes! You've never seen it?"

"Nope, but I wanna know what it's about if it's your favorite."

She smiled cheekily and kissed him, "You're sweet."

He chuckled, shrugging, "Anything to make you happy, Haley."

She felt her stomach bubble with what she could only presume was what writers describe in romance novels. Her head was spinning and every thought in her mind was consumed by Nathan Scott. She had it bad.

The movie started and Nathan threw his arm around her, watching as her eyes fell excitedly on the screen.

Not even 30 minutes into the movie, and Haley was already on top of Nathan, in a heated make out session. She didn't really know how it happened. One minute she was watching the movie, and the next, his lips were on hers. Haley couldn't believe it. It was only their second date and she was practically dry humping him! By no means was she a prude, but she wasn't the type to do this. She never did more than kiss a guy unless they were really serious. Having only one serious boyfriend in college, she had only had sex a handful of times, so she certainly was not experienced; but, here she was, on top of Nathan with her hands all over his chest and she was nearly moaning from the way his tongue massaged hers.

They were so into the kiss, they didn't hear the front door open, but they certainly did hear Maddie scream, "Daddy and Miss. James are doing sex!"

. . . . . . .

Sorry guys, didn't mean to end with a cliffhanger (don't hate me). Also didn't mean to make you wait this long for an update. Finals are fast approaching and so I really have to focus on that.

You probably won't see another update for at least a week, if not longer. Sorry. Hopefully this will keep you satisfied. If I have time, I'll write when I can, but as of right now, school is more important. I'll be back before you know it, though.

Thanks for all the wonderful feedback!


	10. Chapter 10

**I have two finals in two days but I needed a break from studying so this chapter is a work of sheer procrastination/boredom. Not the best, but, I think it does the job.**

 **Thanks for all the kind words. x**

 **I'll update more regularly starting next week.**

. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

"Daddy and Ms. James are doing sex!"

At the sound of Maddie's screeching voice, Nathan abruptly sat up, nearly slamming his forehead into Haley, who was also quite flustered as she straightened out her hair.

Nathan cleared his throat, as he stood up from the couch and avoided Haley's mortified eyes. "Mads, what're you doing home?" He questioned.

Before Maddie could answer, Nathan's mother came bustling through the front door; by the look on her son's face, Deb knew they had interrupted something.

"Honey, I'm so sorry. We tried calling you but you didn't answer."

Nathan wiped his hands on his jeans and sighed, "What happened?"

"I forgot Myrna Moose," Maddie mumbled in a soft voice. She felt like she had done something wrong, but was incredibly confused as to why her teacher was kissing her Dad on their couch. "I couldn't sleep without her."

"Oh, uh..." Nathan was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say? He had promised Haley no one would find out about them, and now his daughter - her student - had walked in on them making out. There was no way of getting out of this one.

Deb made her way further into the living room and glanced between a blushing Haley and pacing Nathan. She had a feeling the two of them were secretly seeing each other.

"I'll just go upstairs and get Myrna," She announced, understanding that Nathan would want to talk to his daughter about what she had just witnessed.

Nathan remained silent but nodded in appreciation. He then glanced at Haley who was staring awkwardly at the floor.

"Madeline, come here, sweetie," He beckoned.

Maddie shuffled over to the chair in front of the couch, watching with wide eyes as her Dad and teacher sat back down, sharing nervous glances.

Haley released the lip she was biting, and motioned to the door, "Maybe I should-"

"No!" Nathan pleaded gently, grabbing her hand. "We should do this together."

"Daddy, what's going on?" Maddie asked, bouncing up and down as she sat on her hands.

Nathan and Haley stared at each other, "Um, well-"

Inhaling a sharp breath, Nathan felt his lips loosen in a gentle smile. "I like Miss James."

"So do I," Maddie grinned, her eyes settling on a blushing, but smiling, Haley.

Nathan looked at Haley, who grabbed his hand a squeezed it reassuringly. The two shared a soft smile as Haley tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

Thinking Maddie didn't quite understand, Nathan tried another approach. "Remember when you had a crush your friend Matthew in pre-school?"

Maddie felt her cheeks flush, "Yea."

Haley almost giggled at the little girl's sudden shyness.

Nathan chuckled, "Well, I have a crush on Ms. James."  
Maddie's blue eyes widened like stones, "You do?"

His grin widened as he nodded, "Yep."

"And I really like your Dad," Haley spoke up.

"Which is why you saw us kissing," Nathan muttered. "When adults like each other, sometimes they kiss."

"Are you dating?" Maddie asked excitedly.

"Yes," Nathan and Haley responded simultaneously, earning an excited squeal from Maddie.

Her giddy smile only lasted for a second, before she scrunched her nose with disgust.

Haley felt her stomach drop, "Is that okay with you, sweetie? I know I'm your teacher, so if this is too weird-"

"No, it's okay. I really want you to date Daddy, but I just don't wanna watch you do sex."

Nathan nearly swallowed his tongue, "Maddie. We discussed this, remember?"

"I know, Dad, but Ms. James was just on top of you, and that means you were gonna do sex!"  
Neither adult knew what to say, but Haley silently hoped the ground would open and swallow her whole.

"Mads, we were just kissing. I'm sorry if it made you feel upset,"

Maddie simply shrugged, "It's okay. You can keep kissing."

They both sighed in relief, but it was only momentarily because Nathan nearly choked again when Maddie asked another question. "But if you kiss, does that mean Ms. James will have a baby? I really, really, really, want a sister!"

Nathan's eyes snapped shut. This was, by far, the most uncomfortable situation he had ever been in - including the time he had to chase a naked Maddie through Target.

"Maddie, sweetie, just because two people kiss does not mean they will have a baby."

"Then how are babies made?" She asked with inquisitive eyes.

Nathan looked at Haley for help, pleading with his nervous eyes.

Haley gulped silently. She had no idea what to say, but Nathan was equally as caught off guard and she knew she had to help some how.

"Sweetheart, listen," Haley started softly, "I know this is confusing for you, but your Daddy and I were just kissing, okay? That's what people do when they date. We're not, um, uh-"

"Doing sex?" Maddie asked with a grin.

Nathan blew out a steady breath. This conversation needed to end, quickly. "No, Madeline. Sex is a little different than kissing, okay? You don't have to worry about it. Only grown-ups know what it is."

"But Elizabeth said-"

"Mads, don't listen to Elizabeth," Nathan said softly. "People kiss all the time. It doesn't mean Miss. James is going to have a baby. Kissing just means we like each other and it's a way of showing it. Do you understand that?"

Maddie nodded eagerly, "Yep."

Haley smiled before scooting off of the couch and pulling Maddie into a hug, "If you have any questions, you know you can always ask me."

"Okay," Maddie smiled, flashing her dimples.

Nathan stood up, pulling both Haley and Maddie in for a hug. "I love you, Maddie. Nothing is going to change that, okay"?

"I know," she threw her arms around his neck, "I love you too, Daddy."

Haley watched their intimate exchange and smiled warmly. She'd never get tired of seeing them together.

"Listen, kiddo." Nathan started again, kneeling closer to Maddie. "There's something else we need to talk about."

"What is it?"

"Uh, well, I know you're excited Miss James and I are dating, but-"

"I'm so, so, so excited, Daddy!" Maddie beamed, nearly jumping up and down. "I wanted her to be your girlfriend for the longest time in the world. I just knew you'd be perfect together!"

Nathan and Haley laughed, "Well you were right, but it's also really important that you don't tell anyone about us just yet."

"Why not?" She frowned.

"Well," Haley spoke up, resting her hand on Maddie's shoulder, "I'm your teacher and it might look a little bad if people know I'm dating your Daddy. I could get in trouble."

Maddie's eyes clouded with a film of shiny tears, "You're gonna get in trouble?"?

"Only if people know, which is why it has to stay a secret for a little bit. Are you okay with that?"

Maddie nodded, "I don't want you to get in trouble, Miss. James. You're the bestest teacher in the entire world."

Haley laughed and hugged Maddie again, "Thank you."

"I promise I won't tell anyone."

Nathan smiled, "Thanks, Mads. And I promise nothing is going to change."

"Can I go on your dates?"

He chuckled, "I don't think so, Maddie-bear."

She pouted, "Why not?"

"Just because Miss. James is my girlfriend now, doesn't change the fact she's your teacher first. You'll hardly even realize we're together."

Maddie folded her arms over her chest, "But I like watching you and Ms. James together. You both smile really big!"

Said sized smiles both seize Nathan and Haley's lips. "I thought you said you didn't wanna see us kissing," he joked.

Maddie giggled, "I lied!"

Nathan chuckled and began tickling Maddie, "You're a goof, you know that?"

"No, Daddy! You're a goof!" Maddie laughed wildly as the sound reverberated throughout the house.

Just then, Deb came down the stairs to find Nathan, Haley, and Maddie huddled on the floor laughing. She smiled at the sight.

"Come on, Maddie. I've got your stuffed animal. It's time to go!"

"Grandma, guess what?" Maddie shouted, racing over to Deb.

"What?"

"Daddy and Ms. James are dating now! Isn't that so exciting?"

"Maddie!" Nathan shouted while chuckling. "What did we just talk about?"

Maddie pursed her lips together and covered her mouth behind her hands, "Oops! I wasn't supposed to tell anyone."

Deb smiled, then winked at her son, "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. Come on, Mads. Let's go and leave them to their date."

"They were kissing!" Maddie giggled.

Deb smirked, "Let's let them kiss, then. Say goodnight."

"Bye!" She waved goodbye to her father and teacher, then raced out the door, leaving a trail of happy giggles.

Deb shook her head, "Sorry Nathan, Haley. Enjoy the rest of your night."

"Thanks, Mom." Nathan smiled, watching as she closed the door behind her. He then turned towards Haley and sighed, "I am so sorry about that."

She rested her head against his chest and smiled, "It's okay. She's cute."

He chuckled, "She's a tornado."

Haley giggled, inhaling his strong scent of aftershave and cologne. She never wanted to let him go. "She had to find out at some point, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. It just sucks she found out like that."

"She seems excited," Haley said, pulling away slightly and looking into his eyes.

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. She's going to blab it to everyone and there goes our secrecy." He groaned slightly.

Haley kissed his cheek, "I'm not worried."

"What if you get in trouble?"

"It will be worth it," Haley whispered.

Nathan smirked and leaned down to kiss her lips softly yet passionately. "You're amazing, Haley James."

Fisting a piece of his shirt between her hands, Haley pulled him closer. She was sick of playing it safe. She was sick of doing what she was supposed to do instead of what she wanted to do. She knew very well she could get in trouble, but as she felt Nathan's lips glide effortlessly against her own, she couldn't find herself to care any longer.

They shared a heated kiss for several minutes until Nathan pulled away with a grin overtaking his face. "Oh, and hey, by the way, thanks for knowing what to say with Maddie about the whole baby thing. She's been asking about it a lot and I never know what to do."

Haley laughed, "I can't believe she thought we were having sex."

Nathan groaned, "I can't believe she even knows what sex is."

"Apparently she thinks sex is kissing, so I think you're fine."

"I'm sorry if she said anything that made you uncomfortable. I wasn't expecting that."

Haley giggled, "It's okay. Like I said, she's cute."

He shrugged, then gazed into her glowing brown eyes, "Still, thank you."

"No. Thank you."

Nathan furrowed his brows, "Why are you thanking me?"

"I know this is your first time in a relationship since having Maddie, and I'm lucky enough to be that girl for you. Thank you for letting me in."

"Thank you for being worth it," he whispered, kissing her forehead.


	11. Chapter 11

Nathan cursed under his breath after realizing he was yet again, late to pick Maddie up from school. The stupid meeting ran far later than he expected. Luckily, it was Friday so he'd be work-free for the next two days.

Running into Tree Hill Elementary, Nathan noticed the hallways were desolate. He hoped Maddie and Haley wouldn't be too upset for his tardiness.

As he rounded the corner, a smile tugged at his lips. He hadn't seen them yet, but he heard their familiar laughter filling the silence.

Peeking inside of the classroom, Nathan saw Maddie sitting on a chair in front of Haley who was busy braiding her hair. The two girls were giggling about something, and Nathan didn't want to interrupt their sweet bonding moment, so he stood watching.

Moments later, Maddie looked up and grinned. Instead of running over to him like she usually did, she remained sitting, letting her teacher finish braiding her hair.

"Hi Daddy! Ms. James is braiding my hair!"

"I see that," Nathan's easy grin matched hers. His eyes then connected with Haley's, who scrunched her nose in return. "It's looking good."

Haley smiled as she nimbly finished braiding the last strand of Maddie's raven black hair.

"You're all set, kiddo." She commented, beaming when Maddie turned around to hug her.

"Thank you!"

Nathan then approached the two, greeting them each with a quick kiss on their foreheads. "Sorry I'm late. Clay kept me in a meeting."

"It's no problem. We had fun. Right, Maddie?"

"Yep. You can be late everyday, Dad." Maddie giggled. "I love spending time with Hal- I mean, Ms. James."

Nathan glanced at Haley, catching her as she bit her lip. The two of them have been seeing each other for almost a month now, and while they've been fairly low key, it was no secret Maddie was getting extremely attached. Of course, there was nothing wrong with that, but it worried Nathan slightly. They'd promised if something happened between them, it wouldn't affect Maddie's school work, but still, it probably wasn't the most appropriate relationship. Maddie was starting to think of Haley as a friend rather than a teacher, and though she still respected her in the classroom, it was becoming clearer that Maddie was receiving and requesting more special attention.

Nathan was glad Maddie and Haley got along so well, but he also didn't want to take advantage of Haley's job. Just because they were dating and she got along with his daughter didn't mean he expected her to babysit Maddie everyday. But, if he was being honest, he knew Haley enjoyed it just as much as Maddie did.

"I'm kinda jealous of you Mads." Nathan chuckled, "You spend more time with Ms. James than I do."

Haley blushed while Maddie giggled, "Well what are you doing tonight?"

"I was supposed to go out with the guys later but I don't have anyone to watch Maddie," Nathan shrugged. It wasn't a big deal. He didn't mind hanging out with his daughter - even if that meant his night would be filled with painting nails and baking cookies.

"What about Grandma?" Maddie pouted.

"She's in Charlotte this weekend visiting friends. Looks like it's just me and you, little bear."

"Or I could watch her," Haley proposed with a sheepish smile, causing Maddie to squeal excitedly.

"Yeah, Daddy! Ms. James can watch me!"

Nathan scratched the back of his neck, "I don't know…"

Haley tentatively reached out and grabbed his hand, "I wouldn't offer if I didn't want to."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, "You should go out with your friends. I've kinda been hogging you every weekend."

Nathan chuckled. It wasn't exactly a lie. When he wasn't with Maddie, he was usually with Haley. The more he thought about it, he realized he hadn't gone out with the guys in a long time.

"Alright, well, as long as you don't mind. I don't want you to get in trouble or anything."

Haley shook her head, "No one will even know. It's not that different than spending time with Maddie here anyway."

Maddie took Haley's hand and smiled, "I'm so excited!"

At the look of pure elation on both of their faces, Nathan couldn't possibly say no. "Okay, I guess it's settled then. Ms. James is babysitting you tonight, Maddie."

"Yay!" She beamed jubilantly. "We can have a tea party, and watch movies, and I can show you my room!"

Haley laughed, squatting down so she was eye level with Maddie. "That sounds fun."

Nathan smirked at his girlfriend, "You sure you want to do this?"

Maddie's grip on Haley tightened. "Yes," she answered for her.

Haley laughed softly, "I'm sure. What time should I come over?"

"How does seven sound?"

"Perfect," she smiled softly and stood back up so she was closer to him.

Nathan scowled softly, "Like I said before, I'm totally jealous of my own kid. She spends more time with you than I do."

Haley stood on her tip toes and quickly kissed his pout away. "We can do something tomorrow, but in the mean time, go out with the guys and have fun. Maddie and I will be fine."

"Fine," he grumbled slightly, "But you're all mine tomorrow, James."

"Sounds good to me," she whispered, her smile tantalizing.

They were about to lean in for another kiss, when Maddie interrupted by pulling on Nathan's hand.

"Come on, Daddy! I have to go home and clean my room before Ms. James comes!"

"Oh boy," Nathan laughed, winking discreetly at Haley. "Alright, come on. We'll see you later, Hales."

Haley waved, watching them walk out the door. "Bye!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

True to her word, Haley arrived at the Scott house at exactly seven, where she found Maddie pressed against the glass door, eagerly awaiting her arrival.

She smiled, unable to contain a laugh when Maddie threw her tiny arms around her legs. Almost immediately, Maddie had taken Haley's hand and pulled her up the stairs to show her her bedroom.

Haley smiled at Maddie's obvious excitement. Over the past few months, she has noticed a major change in Maddie's emotions. In the beginning of the year, she was quiet, reserved, and shy - now she's energetic, bright, and filled with joy. It made Haley's smile brighter, too.

"This is Myrna Moose. Daddy bought her for me when I was a baby. I sleep with her every night," Maddie explained, holding up a purple moose.

Haley grinned, "I sleep with a bear every night, too. His name is Mr. Waffles."

Maddie giggled, "Really?"

"Yep, really! I've had him since I was about your age."

"You should bring him next time so he can play tea party, too!" Maddie suggested.

Haley bent down and nodded, "I think he'd really like that."  
Maddie held out the chair for Haley, and she sat down, watching as she poured pretend tea in a plastic cup.

Haley took the time to look around Maddie's room. It was fairly clean for a six-year-old, minus the occasional toy thrown on the floor. The walls were a soft purple, creating a feminine atmosphere, but on one wall, there was a giant poster of Nathan in a basketball uniform. Right below the poster was a black and pink basketball, supplementing Maddie's tom-boy side.

"Do you like my room?"

"I love it," Haley revealed. And she did. It represented Maddie's personality perfectly. She could tell it was a perfect place to grow up in.

It was then that she noticed the toy piano on one of Maddie's shelves. "Do you play piano, Maddie?"

Maddie shrugged, "Not too much. My Grandma bought it for me for my birthday but I have a hard time hitting the right keys. Daddy says my hands are too small."

Haley laughed, "I can teach you if you'd like."

"You can play?" Maddie's blue eyes widened excitedly.

"Yeah. My Dad showed me when I was younger."

"Cool!" Maddie exclaimed, abandoning Myrna Moose in the process to grab the keyboard.

She then placed it gently on the small table in front of Haley, who pressed a few keys.

Nathan, hearing the sound of music and laughter, left his room and walked across the hall where he found Maddie and Haley in front of a toy keyboard.

"Hey, I didn't know you were here," he said while rolling up the sleeves of his plaid shirt.

Haley turned around and grinned. He looked good. Damn good. Her brown eyes widened, appreciating the man in front of her. Dressed in a simple pair of dark jeans and a blue and white plaid button shirt, she couldn't help but lick her lips. Nathan Scott was hot!

His arms looked extra veiny at the forearms, and she inhaled a deep breath. Now was not the time, she mentally scolded herself.

Still, she stood up and wrapped her arms around his stomach. "Maddie let me in."

Nathan smiled, dropping a light kiss on her forehead, secretly inhaling the scent of her strawberry scented shampoo. "I see she's already kidnapped you."

Haley laughed, "I don't mind."

Another small pout seized his lips, "I'd rather stay in and be with you two. I'm sure you're gonna have more fun than I will."

"Stop it," she commanded softly, holding his intense gaze. A shiver crawled up her spine. "You're gonna have fun. They're your friends."

"I know," he shrugged, letting his hands slowly crawl up her waist, "But I won't be able to stop thinking about you knowing you're in my house looking like this."  
Haley playfully rolled her eyes. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white cardigan. She hardly thought she looked hot.

"I'm serious," Nathan whispered, "You look beautiful, baby."

She felt her knees go weak, but wasn't sure if it was because of the huskiness in his voice or the fact he called her 'baby' - probably a mixture of both.

Haley smiled shyly, looking at him through her dark eyelashes.

Nathan leaned down and touched his lips to hers, pulling her in for a long, slow kiss.

"You look good, too." Haley complimented, fiddling with the button on his shirt. His muscular chest was exposed slightly, making her mouth water. All she wanted to do was run her hands up and down the sculpted plains of his chest. "Too good, if you ask me," she mumbled.

"Jealous?"

"Maybe a little," she revealed shyly. "Where are you going again?"

"Just Tric."

"Great," she sighed. A bar where a bunch of single, slutty women will be throwing themselves at her boyfriend.

Nathan chuckled as if hearing her thoughts, "You have nothing to worry about."

"I know," she smiled, "I'm just being ridiculous. Seriously, have fun."

"I'll try."

"Daddy!" Maddie huffed, "Now you're hogging Ms. James!"

Nathan and Haley laughed, "Okay, I'm going. Let me get a kiss goodbye first."

Maddie dropped her doll, and ran over to her father. She pressed a quick kiss on his cheek, then took Haley's hand. "Come on."

"Duty calls," Haley laughed before quickly kissing Nathan goodbye.

"Be good, Maddie. I'm serious," Nathan warned sternly. "If you give Ms. James any trouble, she won't babysit you anymore."

A look of utter panic struck Maddie's features. "I'll be good, Daddy. I promise."

Haley nodded in agreement, winking at Nathan before he smiled. "Good. I'll see you later. Have fun."

"Love you, Daddy!"

"Love you, too, little bear."  
And with that, he was gone, leaving his two favorite girls alone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"God, he finally gets a girlfriend and he still acts like a stick in the mud. Only this time, he's more of a pansy," Clay complained, knocking back a swig of his beer.

Lucas nodded in agreement, "It's like fun isn't in his vocabulary anymore."

"Nah, it is," Clay quipped, "Only, his definition of 'fun' consists of playing dress up and kissing the teacher's ass."

Lucas snorted with laughter, "You got that right."  
"Once again, I'm right here guys." Nathan muttered, rolling his eyes and his friends made fun of him at the bar.

"We're just saying man. We finally get you away from the teacher and now you've been texting her all night," Clay commented.

"That's because it's her first time watching Maddie. I want to make sure everything is okay."

"Dude, she basically watches her everyday for seven hours. It's fine." Lucas added.

"What're you even texting her anyway?" Clay asked, grabbing Nathan's phone from between his hands.

Nathan's eyes widened in fear, "Give it back," he whined, trying to reach for it.

Clay squirmed, dodging Nathan's grabby hands, and snickered as he began reading the texts out loud.

"I miss you so much, Haley. I just want to kiss you all night long."

Lucas threw his head back, "Oh man, that's great!"

"Give it back!" Nathan warned again.

"It gets better," Clay continued reading, imitating a girly voice, "I miss you, too, Nathan. There's nothing I want more than for you to kiss me right now."

"Cut it out," Nathan growled. "I mean it, man."

Clay didn't listen. "I can't stop thinking about you. I love watching you with Maddie. It makes my heart race."

Lucas laughed, watching as Nathan was turning beet red.

"Me too. You're such a hot Dad—" Clay was reading the message but stopped abruptly when Nathan nearly shoved him off the barstool.

"That's enough," he snapped.

Clay wiped his eyes, as tears of laughter fell from them. "I'm sorry, but come on, that was funny. I've never seen you like this."

"You suck," Nathan sulked.

"Nah, I bet Haley does though."

Nathan snapped his head up and glared at Clay. "Shut up. Don't talk about her like that."

Clay shook his head and hid his laughter behind his bottle of beer.

"We're glad you're happy, Nathan, but Clay is right. You're always with Haley or always talking to her. We miss watching basketball with you, ya know, pre-Haley." Lucas explained after calming his own laughter.

Nathan slumped over, "I know. I'm sorry, too. It's just, I've never felt this way before, you know? I'm really happy and I want to spend every second I have with her. Haley's one of the best things that ever happened to me."

Lucas smiled, "Ah, young love."

"What? Who said anything about love?" Nathan snapped. He couldn't possibly be in love with Haley yet. It was too soon. Right?

Clay chuckled, slapping Nathan on the back. "Dude, you've got it bad. I just hope you don't screw it up. For your sake and Maddie's sake."

Nathan gulped a large swig of beer. He hoped so, too.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was just after eleven when Nathan got back home. He was expecting to hear more giggles, but instead, the house was oddly silent. Feeling his stomach flip, he walked further into the house. The feelings of worry soon switched to adoration and contentment.

He smiled as he found Haley sprawled out on the couch with Maddie tucked safely under her arm, both sound asleep. His gaze then switched to the t.v, and chuckled quietly. Maddie must have forced Haley to watch Frozen - her favorite movie.

He tip-toed over to them and wrapped a blanket on top of them, not wanting to wake either of them from their peaceful slumber.

Nathan's smile only widened when he saw the nail polish containers spread over the coffee table. Sure enough, both Maddie and Haley's nails were painted a pale yellow. He was glad their night seemed successful.

As he looked at the small smiles on both their lips, he knew one thing was sure: he was quickly falling in love with Ms. James.


	12. Chapter 12

For the most part, Haley loved her job. She loved her students, and she loved teaching. Today, however, was not one of those days.

Matthew Williams was currently having a meltdown - for what reason? She did not know. He was in the back of the classroom, screaming his head off, while Julie Edmondson bent over her desk and threw up.

Today was a long day and it wasn't even lunch time yet.

To top it all off, Madeline Scott had not smiled in two days. Haley knew better than to play favorites, but right now, all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around Maddie and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Before she could do that, she first needed to get Julie to the nurse, and calm down Matthew.

She heard Elizabeth complaining about something, but that was the least of Haley's worries right now.

"Jana, sweetheart, can you please bring Julie to the nurses office? And on your way back, can you get a custodian?"

Jana nodded and helped her friend up from the puke-ridden seat. Haley tried not to gag at the sight.

She then managed to wrangle the rest of the class, quietly out into the hallway while the custodians cleaned the classroom. Haley was in the process of calming down Matthew, when in the corner of her eye, she noticed Maddie sitting against the wall with her knees pressed to her chest. A small tear escaping from the blue pool of her left eye.

"Matthew, do you want to go see the counselor? Would that make you feel better?"

Finally, the brown haired boy stopped screaming, and nodded softly. Haley smiled gently and wrote him a hall pass for the counselors office, making a mental reminder to check in with them later in order to see what was going on with Matthew.

It was then that the custodians finished disinfecting the classroom and the rest of the class shuffled back inside - all but Maddie, that was.

Haley frowned slightly, then bent down so she was eye level with the six-year-old.

"What's wrong Maddie bear?" She thought the nick name would cheer her up but it only earned a sniffle.

Maddie looked at Haley with tear filled eyed, "I miss Daddy."

Haley sighed. She should have known that's what it was. For the past five days, Nathan had been in New York for an important business trip and Maddie was staying with her grandma.

"I miss him, too." Haley spoke softly. It was true. She missed seeing his blue eyes every morning before dropping Maddie off. She missed his secret kisses at the end of the day. He'd been so busy he barely was able to talk on the phone. "But guess what? He'll be home tomorrow and I know he's going to be so excited to see you, Mads! He's going to want to see you smile, not cry." She tried to be enthusiastic, cheering Maddie up. Nathan was worried Maddie would be upset. Six days was a long time to be away - the most he had ever spent away from her. Haley felt selfish for complaining to Brooke last night how she missed him. It was probably a hundred times worse for Madeline.

Maddie nodded, the edges of her lips curving gently at the corners. She wrapped her tiny arms around Haley's shoulders.

"I love you, Ms. James."  
Haley felt her heart jump through the ribs in her chest. She felt like floating. Maddie loved her. Haley blinked rapidly, trying to keep her tears at bay. The two were cuddled in a tight embrace.

"I love you, too Maddie." She choked, hugging the girl closer. She knew they shared a special bond, but if Haley was being honest, she loved Maddie as if she were her own. The thought scared her, but at the same time, she'd never been happier. "Do you want me to call your Daddy during lunch? You can talk to him if you'd like."

Maddie nodded, her tears suddenly dissipating as if they had never formed. A full blown smile shone through her lips. "I'd like that very much."

"Okay," Haley grinned, discreetly wiping her own tears away, "We can call him soon. First, we have to go back to class and do some math."

"Okay!" Maddie beamed before racing back into the classroom while Haley took a moment to compose herself. A calmness washed over her bones, like gentle waves lapping the shore.

This horrible day just got a lot better.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lunch time finally arrived. When the rest of the students in her class ran to the cafeteria, Maddie stayed back so Haley could call Nathan — assuming he'd be free to talk and not in an important meeting.

Dialing the now familiar number, Haley pressed 'speaker' and put the phone on her desk so she and Maddie could talk to Nathan.

It rang twice, before they both heard his husky voice speak. For Maddie, she was grinning exuberantly, and Haley's pulse danced with an erratic tempo.

"Hey babe," Nathan answered, a smirk growing when he saw her name flash on his phone screen.

Haley's own smile widened. She loved when he called her 'babe.' It was becoming a common term from his lips.

"Hi," she greeted, then gently nudged Maddie.

"Hi Daddy!"

"Maddie? What's up little bear?" He was clearly surprised by the sound of her raspy voice, but it made the smirk on his lips a little longer.

"Nuthin'. I was crying because I missed you so Ms. James said I could call you."

"You were crying?" His heart broke at the thought. He never wanted to be the reason either Maddie or Haley were crying.

"Just a little. Ms. James made me feel better again. I love her."

Nathan was quiet for a moment. Had he heard Maddie correctly? She said she loved Haley. Nathan wanted to say he did too, but he knew it wouldn't be appropriate to say for the first time over the phone.

"Ms. James, makes everything better huh?"

Haley smiled to herself.

"Uh-huh. She's the best!"

"I know. Give her a big hug for me, okay, Maddie?" He commanded softly. "No more crying. I love you and I'll see you very soon."

"I love you too, Daddy. I can't wait to see you."

"Me too," he said, "Have a good day! Can you give the phone back to Ms. James now?"

"I'm here, Nathan." Haley made her voice known, but grabbed her phone to shut the speaker off.

"I'm gonna go eat lunch now," Maddie whispered.

"Okay. See you in a little bit, sweetie." They shared a soft wave, and Haley cradled her cellphone between her ear and shoulder.

"Is she okay?" Nathan asked, concern lacing his tone.

"Yea, I think she just wanted to hear your voice. She really misses you. So do I."

"I miss you too, Haley James. More than you know."

Haley pouted, "How's everything going?"

"Not too bad. We signed a few contracts and endorsement deals, but I'm ready to come back home. How's your day been so far?"

She tried to suppress a groan, "Terrible. A student threw up and another one was having a panic attack."

"I'm sorry, Hales."

"It's okay. I'll feel better tomorrow when I'm in your arms," she revealed shyly.

"That sounds good," he chuckled lowly and Haley heard a low chatter in the background. "Ugh, Hales, I'm sorry. I've gotta go. Can I call you later?"

"Yeah, no problem."

"Thanks for calling, babe. I'm glad you were there with Maddie."

"Of course. Anytime."

"Okay. Bye, Haley."

"Bye, Nathan."

They hung up, and Haley's smile stayed present on her lips for the remainder of the day.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Bye Thomas. See you tomorrow, buddy!" Haley watched her last student leave for the day and she couldn't help but sink lower in her chair. All she wanted to do was go home, take a hot bath, and guzzle a bottle of Sangria. Sure, Maddie told her she loved her, and Nathan would be coming home tomorrow, but today was rough. After lunch, another student got sick. It was that time of the year and she just hoped she wouldn't get what everyone else seemed to have.

Unfortunately, she couldn't even go straight home yet. She needed to stay in and finish inputting grades in the computer. God only knows how tedious of a task that was.

She sighed. It was going to be a long night.

No less than thirty minutes later, Haley was so focused on the computer screen in front of her, that she was unaware of the surprise visitor standing in her door.

"You look beautiful."

She heard his voice and jumped slightly. Without thinking, she stood from her chair and ran into Nathan's wide open arms.

"Oh my God! What are you doing here?" She asked, melting into his embrace.

Nathan smirked, dropping a soft kiss on her forehead. "I missed you and Maddie."

"What about work?"

Nathan shrugged and held out the bouquet of purple flowers had , "I was able to convince Clay to let me go early. I tried to get here in time to pick Maddie up, but the flight took off later than expected."

Haley shook her head. She was speechless. This man was willing to leave a business trip early just so he could see her and Maddie. Like a wrecking ball through a brick wall, her heart nearly leapt through her chest just so it could be closer to Nathan.

She knew she was falling hard for him, fast, but this was it. She loved him. Haley James was in love with Nathan Scott.

"Kiss me," she commanded breathlessly.

Nathan didn't need to be told twice. Instantly, his hands found her hips and guided her gently so the backs of her knees hit the edge of her desk.

Her arms tangled around his neck, pulling him closer to her lips. Their tongues dueled in a fiery limbo, teeth crashing, and hands wandering over skin.

"Mhmm, Nathan." Haley whispered hotly, followed by a long, breathy moan.

Nathan's fingers found the skin between the hem of her shirt and pencil skirt, and rubbed small circles there.

Meanwhile, Haley fisted handfuls of his dark hair between her fingers, unconsciously wrapping her legs around his waist.

Nathan's lips attached to the spot between her jaw and lower ear, and started sucking lightly.

Haley's stomach flipped with a hot fire burning her entire body. Nathan's feather light kisses and sucking lips were driving her crazy.

Their flames were about to burst into a raging wildfire, but became doused with a cold, clearing throat.

"Ms. James. My office. _Now._ "


	13. Chapter 13

"Ms. James. My office. Now."

At the harsh sound of her boss's voice, Haley pushed Nathan so hard off of her, he nearly tumbled backward and landed on the floor. She composed herself slightly, but knew the pink blush on her cheeks would remain for a lifetime.

Nathan too, guiltily wiped his hands over his black slacks. He didn't necessarily care about what this would do to him as opposed to what it would do to Haley. He really hoped she wouldn't get into too much trouble for this.

"You too, Mr. Scott."

The couple didn't dare look at each other, but instead, followed sheepishly behind the Principal as if they were students just caught in a fight. Only, Haley felt this would have a lot more repercussions than two students in a fight.

She shuffled her heavy feet like two cement blocks, each step as painful as the next. With every passing second, her students faces flashed before her eyes, haunting Haley like ghosts. This could be the end of her lifelong dream to change students lives; all because she was caught kissing her boyfriend. But in the end, she knew it was worth it. Nathan was worth it.

Nathan hung his head with shame. He felt terrible. If Haley got fired because he couldn't keep his lips to himself, he'd never forgive himself. He knew how much teaching meant to her. He knew what it was like to lose a dream, and he wasn't about to watch Haley lose hers.

When they arrived in the Principal's office, Nathan ironically shook his head. Who knew a grown man could still get in trouble with an elementary school principal?

Principal Jenkins paced his office quietly - the type of quiet that screams 'I'm disappointed and don't know what to say' - while Nathan sat in a chair too small for his large frame, his legs trembling. Haley, sitting in the seat opposite of Nathan, sat with her hands folded in her lap, waiting for the verdict.

"You're lucky it wasn't a student who caught the two of you … fraternizing … on the desk."

"Principal Jenkins—" Nathan began, but was silenced with one sharp look from the older man.

"What you two did is unacceptable, not to mention the fact Mr. Scott is your student's father, Ms. James. I expected more from you."

Haley nodded softly, her gaze dropping to the floor so her tears wouldn't be seen.

"I've heard the rumors about the two of you but I swept them under the rug. This, unfortunately, cannot go unnoticed. I simply can't have a teacher kissing or dating a student's parent. That is wildly inappropriate."

"I'm sorry sir, but we're not going to break up." Nathan said resolutely. He then took Haley's fingers between his own, and swallowed hard. "I love her."

Haley's teary eyes stretched into gaping black holes. Had she heard him right? Nathan said he loved her. She stared into his eyes, grinning ever so softly. He felt her squeeze his hand as if sending a signal of her own emotions. They shared a secret smile. He loved her!

Principal Jenkins stopped pacing and stood gravely behind his desk. "Very well. I couldn't force you to do so anyway, but as long as you and Ms. James continue to fraternize, there are going to be consequences."

"Look," Nathan stood up now, so he too was leaning over the desk. "You can't blame Haley for this. It was my fault. I just got back from a business trip and I wanted to see her, and we started kissing, but I swear we'd never do that in front of other students-"

The Principal, now standing with his arms folded over his chest, shook his head, once again cutting Nathan off. "I don't care. It happened, and it can't happen again. I'm not trying to be cruel, but there are rules for a reason. Particularly Madeline."

Haley looked up, wiping her eyes, and spoke for the first time. "I'm really sorry. I knew what I was risking when I started seeing Nathan, and I understand the consequences."

Principal Jenkins sighed heavily, "You leave me no choice but to suspend you for one week."

Nathan slapped his palm roughly against the wooden desk, causing Haley to jump slightly. "You can't do that! Haley is the best damn teacher Tree Hill has to offer."

"Nathan," Haley scolded softly, then gently tugged on his hand. "I appreciate you sticking up for me, but this is my fault. I have to pay the price."

"No it's not. It's my fault. You don't deserve to get in trouble just because we're dating."  
Principal Jenkins sighed again, earning Nathan and Haley's attention again. "Look, I'm not necessarily punishing Ms. James because of your relationship, per sé. I'm punishing her because of the problems this could have caused."

"There are no damn problems! We've been together for two months and nothing changed." Nathan snapped. "Maddie already knows we're together and she's fine with it!"

Principal Jenkins remained tight lipped, "Mr. Scott, I'd appreciate it if you'd lower your voice. Secondly, that is also a problem. I've received several complaints about how Ms. James is favoring Madeline."

"That's bullshit," Nathan growled again, only to calm when Haley put her hand on his knee, stilling its wild movement.

Principal Jenkins ignored Nathan's outburst. "It's obvious you two are very serious with each other, and like I said, that puts Madeline at a risk - especially if you break up."

"We're not going to break up," Haley spoke, her tone pure conviction.

Nathan smirked, muttering under his breath, "Damn straight, baby."

Principal Jenkins mustered a plastic smile, "With all due respect, you can't possibly no what the future holds. You've only been together for two months. And even if you do stay together, Madeline will look at Ms. James differently, and since all students need to be treated equally, I'll be pulling her from your class."

Now it was Haley's turn to jump up with rage. "What? That's not fair. You can't take this out on her!"

"Yea, that's ridiculous. Maddie loves Haley. She'd be devastated. You can't do that." Nathan added angrily.

"I'm sorry, but this is the only option. Madeline will start in Mrs. Harding's class on Monday. Haley can still teach, she just won't be teaching your daughter any longer."

Nathan blew out a long, hard breath. "She's going to freak out. Haley is her favorite teacher. She made such a difference in her reading this year."

"Perhaps you should have thought about that before getting involved with her teacher," he gave Nathan and Haley a pointed look. "This is the best option. You'll still be able to date and Haley can still teach. I'm sure Madeline will still see Ms. James outside of the school."

Nathan remained silent. Principal Jenkins was right. This was the best option. Plus, Haley would still have her job. Unfortunately, Maddie might not understand that.

Haley, as if hearing Nathan's thoughts, nodded. "Thank you. And we're really sorry for this."

Principal Jenkins nodded curtly. "Just don't let me catch you kissing again, or there will be bigger problems."

Nathan smirked, standing up and slipping his arm around Haley. "We'll lock the door next time."

"He's kidding!" Haley immediately recovered while swatting Nathan across the chest.

Principal Jenkins said nothing, but watched the couple shuffle out of his office, only smiling after they left.

Ah, young love.

. . . .

Nathan and Haley walked out into the school's parking lot, hand in hand, both with racing minds and a pace to match their rapidly beating hearts.

"Was it true what you said in there?" Haley blurted once she reached her silver Lexus.

"What?"

"Do you really love me?" She asked timidly, her eyes not quite meeting his.

Nathan's lips curved upward as he reached out and cupped her cheek, "Yes."

Her eyes flickered like a happy fire, colliding with his deep gaze. "Really?" She asked again, wanting to hear it on repeat, like a favorite song - she wouldn't mind if it got stuck in her head on an endless loop.

"Yes," he smiled wider, "I love you, Haley James, and it scares me a little bit, but there it is."

She released a breath she didn't know she was holding, "Wow," a small giggle escaped, "I love you too, Nathan Scott."

He grinned happily, reaching out and wrapping his arms around her waist so he could lift her off the concrete and spin her around. "Think I can kiss you? We're technically not in the school."  
Haley rolled her eyes playfully, "Just do it."

Not having to be asked twice, Nathan bent down and pressed his lips hungrily against Haley's.

"Come over," he whispered, breaking the kiss. "We'll need to talk to Maddie, and then we can finish what we started," his smirk was inevitable.

Haley's feet were back on the ground but her heart was still soaring from that kiss, "Okay."

He kissed her one last time, this time on the forehead. "Maddie's not going to be too happy with me but I'm glad you still have your job."

Haley nodded, "Me too. Thank you for sticking up for me. I reall do love you."

"I know. I love you too. And I'll always protect you."

. . . . .

 **I know the ending seems abrupt but I'll pick up next chapter with** Naley's **talk with Maddie. Happy Holidays! And thanks for the wonderful reviews.** xox


	14. Chapter 14

I apologize for the wait. The holiday's had me busy, then I got sick. This isn't the best chapter but I've been feeling under the weather and wanted to update regardless. Thanks for the reviews.

. . . . . . .

"Daddy's home!" Maddie's excited words sprung from her lips before Nathan even had a chance to surprise her. She must have been looking out of the front window and caught sight of his car. No less than a second later, Maddie watched another car pull up behind her father's.

"Ms. James is here, too!" She announced to Deb who was in the middle of washing dishes at the kitchen sink.

The excited six-year-old ran to the door, ready to greet Nathan and Haley. She was so overcome by surprise that she failed to notice their solemn eyes as they walked the front pavement.

Nathan traded a secret smile with Haley after noticing Maddie's white palms splayed over the glass screen. Despite the situation, he chuckled. Maddie was too cute for her own good—making what he and Haley were about to tell her that much more dreadful, no less difficult.

"I think she's happier to see you," Nathan quipped, playfully ribbing Haley in the side.

Haley giggled, "I'd beg to differ."

Maddie was thrilled to see Haley, but first, she ran into Nathan's stretched arms, throwing herself into his embrace.

"Daddy! I missed you so much," she cried, overcome by emotions.

Nathan, who had knelt down, felt Maddie's wet tears staining his shirt. A corner piece of his heart chipped away painfully—a little piece breaking every time she cried.

"I missed you, too, Maddie bear." He whispered and placed a soft kiss against her forehead.

"Please don't leave me again," she all but whimpered.

Haley stood in the frame of the door, blinking rapidly to keep her own tears at bay. She didn't know what it was, but whenever she watched Nathan and Maddie together, something scraped the bottom of her heart, stirring a deep dust of emotion to engulf the rest of her body.

She watched Nathan closely. His eyes were clenched shut. His strong arms wrapped tightly around Maddie made the already small girl appear even tinier. Haley loved how great of a father he was. She could only imagine how he'd be with a son; a little boy with those same blue eyes and captivating smirk.

At that thought, a pang of pain hit her stomach and the tears she desperately tried to hide, burst, and ran down her cheeks like a damn flood.

It had been a creeping through in the back of her mind, like a haunting shadow. She tried to avoid it, but moments like now, made it appear like a looming crevice about to swallow her whole.

She'd have to tell him, and soon, but today was not the day.

Instead, she wiped furiously at the hot teats staining her cheeks and plastered a smile on her lips. She had a lot to be thankful for; Nathan. Madeline. Brooke. Her career. She only hoped she'd be enough for them.

"I'll never leave you again. I promise." Haley heard Nathan whisper in Maddie's hair.

Maddie nodded and pulled away, wiping her eyes behind her tiny fists. Haley's lips turned flipped into an easy, true smile when Maddie wandered to her.

"Hi, Ms. James!"

"Hi, Sunshine!" Haley greeted, a warmth returning to her disposition. Even on her darkest days, Maddie brought light to her life, illuminating through the thickest clouds.

Maddie wrapped herself around Haley's frame. "I'm so glad you and Daddy are here!"

"Actually, Mads…" Nathan began gently, "There's a reason why Ms. James is here."

"To celebrate you're home a day early?"

He chuckled nervously, "Not exactly."

Before he had a chance to explain, Deb came in from the kitchen. Surprise masked her features.

"Nathan, you're home a day early! Is everything alright?" Surprise shifted into concern.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. I just missed Haley and Maddie."

Deb's soft green eyes fell on Haley. She smiled secretly. Deb was no stranger to the strong feelings her son felt for Maddie's teacher.

"Hey, Ms. James. How're you?" She greeted politely.

Haley's welcoming smile matched the older woman's. "Good, thanks. And please, it's Haley."

Deb nodded, "Haley. I hope I'll be seeing more of you," she then winked at Nathan, who blushed in response.

"I guess I'll head out. Nathan, call me later, honey. And Maddie, come here, let me hug you goodbye."

Maddie flung herself at her grandmother and said goodbye. Deb then grabbed her stuff while Nathan lead both Haley and his daughter to the living room.

"Maddie, we have to tell you something, and you're not going to like it."

Maddie's blue eyes hardened and her lower lip jut out, "You can't break up! You're supposed to get married and have babies!"

Nathan and Haley's eyes widened as they turned towards each other, "What?"

"Are you- are you breaking up?" Maddie teared up again, looking between her father and his girlfriend as they sat on either side of her on the couch. She hiccuped in between words, choking on a sob ready to escape if it were true.

Haley took Maddie's soft hand in her own and smiled, "No, kiddo, your Daddy and I are not breaking up. I promise."

Maddie wiped her tears, cheering up almost instantly. "Good. 'Cos I'd be very, very sad."

"So would I," Nathan tried to joke.

"We don't want you to be sad," Haley began nervously, "But something bad kind of happened today."

Maddie's lake filled eyes expanded. "What happened?" She continued glancing between Nathan and Haley who were both fidgeting.

"Uh, well, you see, Mads…" Nathan tripped over his words, trying to find the best way to break the news. "I came home early so I could surprise you and Haley."

Maddie nodded softly but still didn't understand what was so bad.

"So I went to your school and um, I started to kiss Ms. James."

Maddie scrunched her nose in disgust but remained quiet. Haley couldn't help but giggle.

Nathan sighed, dreading the outburst he knew he'd receive from Maddie. "But when we were kissing, Principal Jenkins caught us."

Maddie scowled, "Daddy!" She reprimanded, "You know you're not supposed to do that! It has to be a secret."

Nathan blew out a deep breath, knowing her wrath would only increase. "I know. I'm sorry." His shoulders slumped visibly and Haley couldn't help but giggle at Maddie's scolding glare.

"Did you get in trouble?" She questioned quietly.

"Yeah, baby, we did." Haley answered. "Your Daddy and I really aren't supposed to be dating and we broke a lot of rules."

"So, what happened?"

"Well, I got suspended. Kind of like what happened when you and Elizabeth got into a fight." Haley explained gently.

"For how long?"

"Uh, only for a week," Haley squeaked, too afraid to tell her the rest.

Maddie huffed, dropping her face into the palms of her hands. "I guess that's not too bad."

Nathan looked at Haley, who was biting her lip— a tell tale sign she was nervous.

"There's more, Maddie."

Maddie looked up at Nathan and furrowed her dark eyebrows. "What is it?"

"The thing is, um, you won't be in Ms. James' class anymore."

"What!" Maddie screeched, falling back onto the couch and letting out a long wail. "Are you serious?"

Haley exchanged a somber frown with Nathan and tentatively reached out so she could grab hold of Maddie, "I'm sorry, sweetie. We really didn't mean for this to happen. The Principal said the only way I can keep teaching is if he moves you to another class."

"But- but, I- I don't want a different teacher. I love you, Ms. James! You're the best, and I- I…"

"Shh, it's okay, Maddie. I love you, too." Haley whispered soothingly. "It's going to be okay."

"It's not fair," Maddie continued to cry. "This is all your fault, Daddy!" She grumbled.

Nathan felt another piece of his heart gnaw away. "I'm so sorry, Maddie."

"I'm sorry, too." Haley sighed. "I know you're upset. I am, too. You're one of my best students, and I'd hate to lose you, but guess what?"

Maddie sniffled, "What?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Haley spoke with conviction. "You'll still see me. In fact, now we can hang out all the time without worrying. And, you can call me Haley now if you'd like."

A ghost of a smile traced over Maddie's lips, "I can?"

"Yep. Since I'm not your teacher anymore, we can do stuff we weren't able to do before. Like go shopping and spend more time outside of school."

Maddie started to perk up, "Does this mean you can be my Mommy now?"

Haley tensed. Maddie didn't notice but Nathan sure did. He watched her gulp a hard breath.

"Uh, Mads, we talked about this." Nathan warned, speaking up and hoping to change the topic.

"I know," Maddie huffed, "Mommies and Daddies have to be married. But you should marry Haley, Daddy. This way she can live here with us and play tea party with me every day!"

Nathan smiled sheepishly, "Maddie, it's too soon to think about stuff like that. I love Haley, a lot, but we've only been dating for a short time, kiddo."

Maddie grumbled under her breath, but then mulled over her father's words. "You love her?"

Nathan smiled, reaching out and taking Haley's hand between his own. "Yeah. I do."

"I love your Daddy, too, Mads. Very much so." Haley said with a smile biting her words.

Maddie grinned widely, wrapping her left arm around Nathan, and her right arm around Haley. "I love you, too."

"Are you okay, little bear?" Nathan asked.

Maddie shifted softly and smiled ever so slightly. "Yeah. At first I was freakin' pissed—"

"You were what?" Nathan's voice raised angrily. He didn't want his little baby cursing.

"I was freakin' pissed!" Maddie repeated innocently.

"You can't say that, Maddie. It's not a nice thing to say."

"But you and Uncle Lucas say it all the time!"

Nathan shook his head, "Just because we say it, doesn't mean you can. Don't listen to us, anyway. Listen to Haley. She's a better example."

Haley blushed softly, "That's not true."

"It is," Nathan bickered playfully.

Maddie giggled, "I'll miss having Haley as my teacher but I'm happy you didn't break up."

"I'm happy, too." Haley said.

"You know what?" Nathan thought aloud, "Let's go out to dinner."

Maddie clung onto Haley, almost afraid to let go. "Yay!"

Haley grinned, "I think that's a great idea."

She leaned over Maddie and kissed Nathan softly, then kissed Maddie's cheek.

Maybe everything was going to be okay, after all.


	15. Chapter 15

"I wanna sit next to Haley, Daddy!" Maddie requested— well, more accurately, commanded— as they made their way into the local Italian bistro. It made the couple feel at ease knowing it didn't matter who was around to see them. Their relationship was finally in the open, so to speak, and now deemed 'acceptable'. Of course, the situation sucked, but it ended up working out. Haley was secretly happy that Maddie could now tag along to some of their dates. As much as she loved spending time with Nathan, Haley truly enjoyed Maddie's presence as well. Plus, she was looking forward to spending time with her outside the four confining walls of her classroom. Their relationship was no longer labeled "student" and "teacher", and if Haley was being honest, she was starting to perceive Madeline as, dare she say it, her own kin.

Feeling a tug on her hand, Haley glanced sideways and smiled. Maddie subconsciously laced her tiny fingers between her own as they waited to be seated. Haley knew Madeline looked up to her; it was as humbling as it was disconcerting. She feared she'd do something wrong, or do something to taint the little girl's happiness. It was clear both she and Nathan trusted her with everything, and Haley never wanted to break that.

Hell, her stomach nearly lurched at the thought of ever hurting them. It's the last thing she ever wanted. Haley's hand tightened around Maddie's tiny fist. She was never going to let go.

"Well, I want to sit next to Haley," Nathan playfully argued.

"Nuh-uh, Daddy. She's mine!" Maddie tugged Haley closer to her small frame, eliciting a giggle from her former teacher.

Nathan's eyebrow arched gently over his eyes, questioningly and amusingly.

"Oh yeah? Are you dating her, too?"

Maddie giggled, "No. She's my best friend."

Nathan saw the smile tugging at Haley's lips and the sparkle of honor lighting behind her large brown orbs.

"Guess I can't compete with that, can I?"

Haley laughed while shrugging, "Sorry, babe. Girls before boys."

Nathan feigned hurt, clutching at his chest. "Fine, but you're mine later, James."

She flashed him a seductive smirk, "Sounds good to me."

Their tender moment was interrupted when a hostess, who just so happened to recognize Haley from their high school days, came over.

"Haley James!" Bevin Merser all but screeched. "I didn't know you were married! And your daughter! She's adorable. Gosh!"

Haley felt her cheeks flush with a fiery heat. "I'm not— I mean, she isn't—… we're not…" she stumbled over her words. Just the mere insinuation that she and Nathan were married had her feeling like a fifteen year old giggly girl.

Luckily, Nathan came to her rescue and stuck his hand out. "I'm Nathan Scott, Haley's boyfriend. This is my daughter, Maddie. Say hi, kiddo."

Maddie smiled shyly, but didn't let go of her tight grip on Haley. "Hi."

"I'm Bevin Merser. Haley and I graduated together like one hundred years ago," the southern blonde drawled out, laughing airily. "It's so good to see you again! How are you?"

Recovering from her awkward fumbling, Haley smiled. "Good. Great, actually." Her gaze collided with Nathan's, and the smile on her lips only widened.

"I'm glad to hear it. You know, since the accident and everything."

Haley tensed. She tried to forget it; tried to forget her past but somehow, it continued to creep up in front of her when she least expected it.

"Right, well, everything is great. How are you?" She desperately tried to change the topic, and hoped Nathan hadn't heard the comment, but judging by the look of concern in those sparkling blue eyes, she knew he had.

"You know, the usual," Bevin chuckled. "Still working here to pay off student loans."

Haley mustered a smile but couldn't bring herself to reply. Her mind was far too preoccupied with endless worry.

"Come on, I'll take you to a table," Bevin said, leading the three of them to a corner booth. Maddie slid in first and Haley followed immediately after. Nathan sat on the side across from them.

"Your server will be right with you," the blonde smiled. "It was nice seeing you again, Haley. And nice meeting you Nathan, Maddie."

"You too," Nathan nodded politely, all while trying to gage Haley's sudden change of emotion.

When Bevin turned to leave, Nathan reached out to grab Haley's hand.

"You okay?"

Haley mustered a counterfeit smile. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

His eyebrows furrowed, "I just thought …."

"It's nothing. Really," she tried to sound reassuring but her voice sounded foreign even to her own ears.

Haley was grateful then, for Maddie's innocent interruption. "Are you gonna get the mac 'n' cheese, Haley?"

She smiled excitedly, "Yep, you know it."

"Me too. I'm gonna get that, too, Daddy."

Nathan grinned, placating his daughter, and desperately trying to forget the sinking feeling starting in his stomach. He just wanted to enjoy a night out with his favorite girls.

"You can get whatever you want, Princess."

"What're you gonna get?" Maddie asked, shifting slightly so she was now sitting on Haley's lap, who was absentmindedly fiddling with her dark waves of hair.

"Hmm, I think I'll get the chicken parmesan."

Maddie rolled her eyes, "You always get that!"

"And you always get the macaroni and cheese!" Nathan teased.

Maddie shrugged, "I just get whatever Haley gets."

Haley cuddled into Maddie's small form, "Sweetie, if you want to get something different, you can."

"Nuh-uh. I wanna be just like you."

Haley smiled, her eyes sparkling slightly as they met with Nathan's warm gaze. She then pressed a kiss on Maddie's forehead, reveling in the feeling, "I love you, Madeline Scott."  
Maddie was sure to flash her large dimples as she grinned eagerly. "I love you, too!"

"You know," Nathan began teasingly, "I really am starting to feel like a third wheel."

Haley giggled.

"What's that mean, Daddy?" Madeline asked.

"It means he's jealous," Haley teased, laughing louder at the pout forming on Nathan's lips.

"Why?"

"'Cos you're hogging Haley again, Mads." he joked. He wasn't actually jealous or upset that Haley and Maddie were so close. In fact, it made him fall even harder for Haley. It was endearing to watch their close bond evolve. He never thought he'd see the day where he'd let someone in both his and Maddie's life, completely — but he was glad it was Haley. She was the missing piece in both their lives.

His heart gushed at the sight of their oversized smiles. He knew, in that moment, he'd never be able to live without them.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"You were kinda quiet tonight," Nathan commented as he and Haley cuddled up on his living room couch, a glass on wine in her hands, and a long necked bottle of beer in his. Maddie was long asleep, after both Nathan and Haley read to her when they got home from dinner.

It was quiet night, some movie was playing, but going unwatched on the television.

Haley sighed in Nathan's arms. This was it. She'd have to tell him.

Shifting slightly, so her knees were touching his thighs, she inhaled a deep, steady breath. "I need to tell you something."

Nathan's features fell to stone. He reached out and put his bottle on the coffee table, lending his hands to Haley. "What's wrong, baby?"

He watched her visibly tense, and tried to soothe her by rubbing soft circles on her back.

"Uhm, kids." She blurted out, "Do you want more kids?"

Nathan was clearly taken aback by her outburst but smiled, "Yeah. I mean, one day. I'd like a son. And maybe another little girl, with your eyes," he added softly.

Haley's breath hitched, "Don't say that, Nathan. Please."

"Why?"

She bit her lip, fiddling with her pinky ring as her mind mulled over the words she wanted to use. "When I was seventeen I was in a car accident…"

Nathan's interest piqued, and the concern oozed from his eyes. "Oh God, Hales, were you-?"

"It was bad," Haley recalled. Her voice breaking at the end. "No one died, thank God, but I blacked out. Someone t-boned me. I was taken to the hospital and had reconstructive surgery."

Nathan gulped, and squeezed Haley's hand softly. He waited for her to continue.

"I had a broken hip, and my pelvis basically shattered." Haley said weakly, not being able to meet his eyes. "And I- I can't have children, Nathan."

She tried so hard to keep herself composed but her voice broke, and tears flooded from her eyes. The last relationship she had been in, she told her boyfriend the same and he left. She expected more from Nathan, but still. If he wanted more kids, she wasn't going to blame him if he ended things. His and Maddie's happiness meant everything to her.

She looked up, her eyes watery, trying to gage his reaction through the blurred vision. His look wasn't one of pity, or concern, or even sadness, but rather, a look of love. His eyes were so smoldering, it made her heart race.

Instead of speaking, he leaned down, his palms on either sides of her cheeks, and kissed her longingly.

"I love you, Haley James," he swore. His voice drew goosebumps on her skin.

"I love you too," she whispered, "But what about-"

"It's okay," he promised, pecking another light kiss on her lips, "It's okay."

She brushed her nose against his neck. Her tears staining his t-shirt. "I'm sorry I can't give you what you want."

"Stop it, Hales. Don't apologize. My love for you is never going to change, especially not because you can't have kids. No matter what happens, I'm always going to love you. Always and forever."

"You still want to be with me?" She sniffled.

"Of course I do. I promise you, nothing is going to change. I want to be with you forever, Haley James. You know what I was thinking about tonight at dinner?"

"What?"

"How happy you've made me and Maddie. Just you. Your kindness, and your grace. You changed our lives. You love us with everything you have, and so do we. We love you, Hales. I don't want to live without you."

"But Maddie wants siblings," she hated how her voice sounded so far away; how these doubts and negativity exploded in her mind.

Nathan smiled, "I think she'll be happy she won't have to share you with anyone else. It's bad enough she has to compete with me."

Haley laughed softly, wiping her tears. "I just want to be enough for you."

"You are, Haley. You're more than enough." Nathan's voice rang with conviction. The words sank into her skin as he leaned down and showed her, physically, how much he loved and needed her.

Their tongues massaged each other's softly. Nothing but hot breath and quiet moans filled the air.

Haley ran her fingers under the hem of his shirt, scraping gently at the hair leading to his naval. "I need you, Nathan."

His attack on her neck stopped at her words. "Are you sure, Hales?"

She nodded, "Yes. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

He smiled blissfully against her growing grin, then took her in his arms. Haley laughed when he carried her fireman style, only to quiet when she remembered Maddie was sleeping.

They climbed the stairs, kissing as he lead her to his bedroom.

After locking the door, he gently placed her on the bed, kissing every crevice on her skin until the morning light. It was passionate, slow, perfect.

Everything they dreamed about.

 **. . . . . . . . . .**

 **Eh, sorry guys. This chapter wasn't the best. I hate writing smut so I apologize for the lack of details.**

 **Thank you for all the comments. I love how much you guys are enjoying this story.**

 **I wish I could update everyday, but unfortunately, I have a lot of plans for the remainder of my break. I'll try to update twice a week, though.**

 **Thanks again! xo**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys, quick side note: I know some of you are upset that Haley can't have kids, but please keep in mind the story is not over... So before you freak out, remember there is more to come. I can't please everyone, unfortunately. I know this story is not the most realistic but I'm just writing it for fun. If you stick around, I can promise (or try to) that you'll be happy where our beloved** Naley ** & Maddie end up. Just keep reading ;)**

 **Anyways, thank you for the reviews. I do love reading what you think, and it makes my day. I'm happy so many people have taken a liking to this story. It started as a simple idea in my head and has evolved so much since then. I sincerely thank you for your dedication and loyalty. I know I don't update as much as you'd like, but I'm trying my best!**

 **Also, shout out to Mel who has my back and helps me with some story ideas. xo**

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .

Nathan watched in the corner of his eye as Haley fidgeted with the hem of her cream colored dress. He found it cute how her eyebrows crinkled together with worry— obviously nervous about going out with his brother and sister-in-law tonight.

"Hales," he chuckled, "Stop worrying. They're going to love you. Besides, Luke has already met you."

"I know," she sighed while lacing her fingers through his, "I just want them to approve of me—of us. I know how close you guys are."

They were sitting in his Range Rover, just outside of Tric, waiting for both Lucas and Peyton to arrive. Nathan would have suggested they go in early, but he wanted to try and ease Haley's apprehension in the privacy of his vehicle. Tentatively, he reached over the console with his free hand and soothingly ran circles over her flushed skin.

"Is that all it is? Because, babe, these last few weeks you've seemed… I don't know… upset. Did I do something wrong?"

Haley's heart clenched tightly in her chest, "No, God, no, of course not, Nathan. I love you. It's just…" she sighed, continuing to fidget with the hem of her dress. "I guess I'm still worried about the whole, unable to conceive thing. I know you said it's okay, but it's not. I'm not okay."

Nathan watched her eyes drop. In that moment, Haley looked so broken. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright as long as they were together, but he knew he'd be lying.

Their heavy sighs were the only sound between them. He tried to locate the right words, but it was a lost cause.

"Hales," he started slowly, "There are other options. We'll figure something out when the time comes, alright?"

She sniffled, desperately trying to swat away the tears that were now falling from her eyes like boulders down a mountain. "I just want so badly to give you more kids. You're such an amazing father. It's not fair for you."

Nathan brushed away the tears with the padding of his thumb. The wetness absorbed through his finger tip.

"What exactly did they tell you?"

Haley choked on a sob, "I just can't have kids. The chances are practically one in a million."

"Maybe I'll be that one," he tried with an easy grin. Haley felt the weight of her lips tugging upwards, curving into a gentle smile.

"Nathan," she breathed. The weight returning to her voice, "I'm scared you're going to change your mind."

"What?" His hand fell slightly, almost as if he was burned. "Why would I change my mind?"

"What if you decide in a couple of years you want more than what I can offer?" She asked weakly.

"I told you, Hales, there are other options. Just… stop worrying, okay? I love you. And I mean what I said. This won't change things."

She nodded meekly. A part of her felt like Nathan was simply placating her— telling her what he thought she wanted to hear. Of course she knew there were other options, but she didn't want that. She wanted to feel her womb grow for nine months and carry the weight of a baby. She wanted to wake up with weird cravings and make Nathan run to the store at two in the morning. She wanted to give Maddie a sibling to play with. She wanted to have Nathan's child. A little boy—mixed with part of her genes and part of his. But now they were never going to have that.

"I love you, too" she whispered despite herself and leaned over slightly to capture his lips in a passionate kiss.

As their lips danced with a fiery momentum, it was soon interrupted by the knocking on the glass window.

Haley jumped, startled, while Nathan groaned with displeasure. Leave it to his brother to be a cock-blocker.

"Hey, bro! Quit kissin' and get in the club," Lucas ribbed on the outside of the car. Peyton rolled her eyes at her husband, "Leave them be."

"Ready?" Nathan breathed.

Haley smiled genuinely, eager to get to know Nathan's family. "Yep," she nodded and waited for him to rush out of the car so he could open her door.

Peyton and Lucas stood in the parking lot, just next to Nathan's car so the four of them would be able to enter the club together.

"Hi Haley, it's nice to see you again." Lucas greeted his brother's girlfriend with a kind smile, which she easily returned.

"You too, Lucas."

"This is my wife, Peyton Sawyer-Scott. Peyt, this is Haley James. The girl Nathan doesn't shut up about," Lucas introduced the women, laughing when he saw his brother blush.

"It's great to meet you, Haley. Lucas is right, Nathan doesn't stop talking about you," Peyton laughed. "I've heard so much about you!"

It was Haley's turn to blush, "Good things I hope."

"Are you kidding? Maddie and Nathan rave about you!"

Nathan slung his arm haphazardly around Haley's shoulders, guiding her as they made their way into the club, right alongside Lucas and Peyton.

"You rave about me?" Haley goaded, craning her head so she could better look at her boyfriend.

Nathan feigned aloofness, "Maybe a little."

"A lot, Scott. You and that daughter of yours rave about Haley constantly." Peyton pronounced each word slowly, underscoring 'constantly,' for added measure.

Nathan groaned, "Okay, she gets it. Maddie and I are in love."

"Aw," Haley cooed, "I love you, too."

Peyton pretended to sob, "Y'all are adorable. Lucas, why don't you ever gush about me?"

"I do gush about you!" He mumbled, "I wrote a damn book about you."

Haley's eyes widened, "You wrote a book? That's so cool!"

"Yep," he smiled proudly, "I'm an author."

"Don't expect me to write a book, Hales. I'm lucky I can even hold a pen," Nathan quipped as the four of them sat in a corner booth beside the dimly lit dance floor.

Haley rolled her eyes and slapped him across the chest, but ended up letting her palm rest against the taught muscles that lay beneath his gray fitted t-shirt.

"What about you, Peyton? What do you do?"

"I'm a music producer. I actually run Red Bedroom Records upstairs."

"That's amazing!" Haley drawled, "What made you decide to do that?"

"I just love music, y'know? Everything from Foo Fighters to Leonard Skynyrd. It's always been a dream of mine to own a label." Peyton's green eyes sparkled as she discussed her career.

"I love music, too!" Haley beamed, "I've secretly always wanted to be a singer."

"Yeah? You any good? I can help you out." Peyton offered.

"Oh no," Haley chuckled, "I don't think I could ever sing outside the walls of my shower."

"Don't listen to her," Nathan jumped in. "Haley's amazing! I heard her singing with Maddie and it stole my breath away."

Haley, hating to be the center of attention, blushed. "Stop, I'm not that good."

"You're just being humble, babe. You have one of the best voices I've ever heard," Nathan whispered in her ear.

"Well if you're ever up for it, just stop by and we can work something out."

"Thank you, Peyton." Haley smiled with appreciation.

"I'm gonna go get us some drinks," Nathan announced, sliding out of the booth. "You want anything Luke? Peyton?"

"I'll have my usual, please," Lucas requested.

Peyton declined, "Um, no thanks. Not tonight."

Nathan's eyebrows rose. Peyton not drinking? That was almost unheard of. Not that she was an alcoholic, but his sister-in-law sure knew how to knock 'em back.

"You sure? I can get you a Martini. Haley likes those."

Peyton bit her lip, "I'd better not."

"You taking medicine or something?" Nathan half-joked.

Peyton shifted, glancing over at her husband whose eyes were beaming and gave her a tight nod. "Actually, Nate, I'm pregnant."

At the sound of the 'p' word, Nathan and Haley's faces visibly dropped. Luckily, no one seemed to notice except for each other. Nathan soon recovered and plastered a large smile on his lips. "That's awesome, you guys! Congrats. I'm really happy for you two."

Haley mustered her own weak smile and nodded in agreement. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Lucas bent down to kiss his wife. "We're excited."

"Maddie will be happy to have a baby cousin she can play with," Nathan laughed.

"Yeah, well, you two are gonna have to give her a sibling one day." Lucas thought he was being funny, but couldn't understand why Haley seemingly turned to stone. She was so bubbly just a few minutes ago. From the way Nathan spoke about her and their relationship, he was sure they were serious — serious enough to have talked about future plans. God only knows how much Nathan told Lucas how Haley was 'the one.'

"How far along are you?" Haley asked, desperate to change the topic.

Peyton was oblivious to the way she had tensed, and continued to beam, "About six weeks. We weren't planning on telling anyone just yet but I couldn't help myself!"

Nathan stood up and pat his brother on the back, "Good work, bro. Fatherhood is the best. I see you with Mads. You'll be awesome."

"Thanks, Nathan. Means a lot," the Scott brothers traded smiles.

"Hales, you want a Martini?"

She suddenly didn't feel like drinking. "No, that's okay. I'm good for now."

"Alright, well, I'll be right back!" He snuck off to the bar, anxious for a moment to escape the big news. Of course, he was thrilled for his brother. He knew Lucas and Peyton had been trying to conceive, but Nathan couldn't stop the jealousy that coursed through his veins thicker than blood. It was consuming.

Yes, he had told Haley he'd be okay with not having more children, but why did it hurt so bad now?


	17. Chapter 17

Haley hummed quietly to herself as she made her way down the snack aisle of ShopRite. She stopped in front of the chip display, and quietly contemplated between the blue bag of Doritos and the Barbecue Flavored Lays chips. It was a tough decision.

She was pulled from her thoughts, however, by the harsh sound of her phone's ringtone. A smile spread across her lips when she saw Nathan's name and picture flash on the screen.

"Hi, babe. What's up?"

Instead of hearing the familiar husky sound of the voice she expected, the airwaves spilled with sniffles.

"Haley?"

It was Maddie. She was crying.

"Maddie? What's wrong, sweetie? Is everything okay?"

Another sniffle sounded, "Can you come over?"

"Of course," Haley forgot the battle about the chips and made a grab for the peanut butter Oreos — they were Maddie's favorite. "What happened, Mads?"

"Daddy -" sniffle, "yelled-," sniffle, "-at," sniffle, "-me."

Haley bit her lip and began checking out the peanut butter Oreos at the self check out. "Why?"

"'Cos I can't do my homework."

"Okay, I'll be right over to help. Don't cry, beautiful."

Haley heard Maddie sniffle again, "'Kay. Thanks, Hales."

She smiled at the nickname, "I love you."

"Love you, too."

She hung up the phone, slid her credit card in the machine, and made a dash to her car —the package of peanut butter Oreos under her arm and all.

. . .

Haley was sure she broke nearly every damn speeding record on her way to Nathan's house. What should have been a ten minute drive, somehow turned into four.

Noticing the front door was open, Haley walked right in. Sure enough, Maddie was hunched over the kitchen table, with tears staining her reddened cheeks. The six-year-old's eyes were the color of bruises — the bright blue turned purple from being bloodshot. Haley's heart clenched at the sight. She remembered the emotions of being a young girl, almost all too well.

Sighing softly, Haley tentatively walked over to the mini- Scott and wrapped her arms around her shaking shoulders. "It's okay, Sunshine, I'm here. I'll help you with your homework. Everything's gonna be okay."

Maddie wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her pastel yellow shirt; one she had just begged Nathan to buy because Haley had one just like it.

"I don't like fighting with Daddy," Maddie cried softly. "He's mad at me."

Haley pressed a soft kiss on Maddie's forehead. "I'm sure he's not." If she knew her boyfriend, which she did, she knew he probably overreacted and said things he didn't mean.

"I tolded him I hated him but, but, I really didn't mean it, Haley."

"Shh," Haley whispered, lifting Maddie up so she could sit in her lap, "I know you didn't, Sunshine."

"I just really hate my new teacher. The homework is so hard. I can't do it!"

Haley bounced Maddie gently, "You can do it. You know why? You're so smart."

"But Mrs. Harding is mean and ugly. She doesn't help me and she doesn't look like you either."

Haley tried to suppress a smile. She knew exactly how Mrs. Harding was. After all, she had been teaching at Tree Hill Elementary since Haley was a student there.

"Well, good thing I'm here then, isn't it? I can help you, and you'll be the smartest student in her class!"

Maddie's tears nearly vanished, and her frown swiftly swapped with a hefty smirk — the same smirk Nathan often wore, like a crooked crescent moon.

Haley watched Maddie jump from her lap and run to her backpack to retrieve a pink folder, then jumped back to the table.

"Haley?"

"Yes, Sunshine?"

"I wanna be a teacher when I grow up. Just like you!"

Haley's heart pounded with pride. She didn't know what she did to deserve Maddie's eternal admiration, but she sure as hell wasn't going to question it, let alone take it for granted.

"You'll be the best teacher, Mads." Haley gave her a gentle squeeze, causing her to giggle.

"Nuh-huh, you already are!" Maddie declared boldly.

Haley's smile leaked with gratitude, "Thank you."

The twosome then dove into the wonderful world of subtraction. Haley demonstrated one problem by using Oreos.

"Okay Maddie, so if I have six cookies, and give you two, how many do I have left?"

Maddie reached over and ate two cookies, smiling mischievously through the crumbs, "Fwour!" She exclaimed while chewing.

Haley laughed and ate one, too. "Now how many?"

"Three."

"Nice! See, you got this!" Haley beamed proudly.

Maddie shrugged, "I guess so."

"I know so." Haley bent down and kissed Maddie's cheek. "Where's your Daddy?"

"Upstairs," Maddie shrugged again.

"Okay, well I'm gonna go see him real quick. You stay here and finish the worksheet. I'll check it when you're done."

"Okay, thanks Haley."  
"Anytime, baby." Haley squeezed Maddie's shoulders before grabbing her bag and climbing the stairs to find her boyfriend. She was surprised he hadn't already made an appearance, but guessed it was because he was in one of his bad moods. He probably had a bad day at work, but she knew how to soften him up.

A sly smile stretched over her lips as she stood in the doorway to his bedroom.

There he stood, in front of his closet, barefoot, in a dark pair of jeans, and a white t-shirt, clinging to his muscles. Haley certainly appreciated the view.

She watched him remove a few hangers and throw some dress shirts on the bed. He looked deep in thought.

"Hi," she announced her presence and watched Nathan jump slightly.

"Hey, you. What're you doing here?" He asked as the crescent shaped smirk slid across his lips.

She tiptoed in the room, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a deep kiss. "Your daughter called me crying."

He clenched his teeth, "Oh."

Haley rubbed her thumb over his cheek softly, "Yeah. What happened, babe?"

He sighed and sat down on the mattress, pulling Haley next to him. "I don't know. She kept asking me for help and I was on the phone with work so I screamed. I didn't mean to, but then she started complaining how much she hated her new teacher and that she missed you. I didn't know what else to do."

Haley sighed, watching the struggle ignite behind his eyes. "You could have called me, you know? I'm here for you."

"I know," Nathan breathed, "Does she really hate me?"

"Of course not, Nathan. She loves you."

"I feel so bad. It's so hard doing this alone."

"You're not alone, Nathan. You have me. You'll always have me," she cupped his cheek firmly, "I love you. Maddie loves you."

Nathan nodded and kissed her, "Thank you. I love you, too." He then took a moment to let his eyes fall on her. Now that Maddie had a different teacher, he didn't get to see her everyday. She was wearing simple black dress, but damn, did she look good.

"You look beautiful," he smiled.

Haley teasingly rolled her eyes, "Don't try to butter me up, Scott. I'm mad at you."

"What? Why?" His eyebrows shot up with concern.

"You made Maddie cry!" She scolded, albeit with a trace of a smirk.

"I'm sorry," he pouted. "I'll apologize. I just figured we both needed time to cool off. Thanks for coming, though."

"Anytime," Haley whispered. "So what's going on in here?" She took in the surroundings of his messy room. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and boxes lined the floor.

Nathan stood from the bed and opened his closet further. "I'm making room."

"For what exactly?"

"Your stuff."

Haley's jaw opened, then closed— like a fish.

"Wh-what?"

Nathan simply smiled, and took down another box. "You sleep here sometimes and you left some stuff so I figured I'd give you your own space to keep it. Does that bother you?"

She shook her head, "No. Not at all. It's actually really sweet. Thank you."

It was a touching gesture; she couldn't help the way her heart skipped a few beats.

"You're welcome." They traded a lingering look of love.

"What do you have in all these boxes anyway?" Haley laughed. It was hard to imagine a guy having more shoe boxes than a girl, but Nathan would be the exception.

"Mostly sneakers, but a few things from my childhood. Like pictures and stuff." Nathan explained, carrying one box in particular over to where Haley was sitting.

Haley grinned and opened the box. She started to pull out a few belongings, and asked for the background stories. The first item was one of Nathan's high school basketball trophies. He smirked and told her how he won the MVP award too, for scoring the winning basket.

"What about this? Who is it?"

Nathan turned and let out a heavy breath. His easy spirit defeated at the image.

She held up a small, tarnished photo of a woman with bright green eyes, and straight blonde hair.

"That's, um, Maddie's mother."

Haley's teeth sank into her lower lip. She didn't understand why a weight fell on her chest, making it harder to breathe.

"She's beautiful."

Nathan wrapped his arm around Haley's shoulder, pulling her into his embrace. "Not as beautiful as you."

Haley's head fell. She didn't know why she was feeling so insecure all of a sudden.

"Did you love her?" Her voice was weak.

"No." He swallowed a hard breath, "I barely knew her."

Haley looked up again and searched Nathan's broken blue eyes. "What happened?"

"Look, I've made a lot of mistakes in my past and I'm not proud of it-"

"It's okay…" She grabbed his hand.

"No. It's not, Haley." Nathan's voice was strained. "I slept with so many women I didn't even know. God, I got a woman pregnant and didn't even know until the hospital called me! What kind of person does that make me?"

"Not a bad one," Haley answered immediately. "It's not your fault, babe. She should have told you."

"I always think…" his voice cracked, and tears teetered on the brink of his eyes, "about what would have happened if she hadn't died." He swallowed again, "Would she have told me about Maddie? Where would I be? Would Maddie even know me?"

"Nathan…" Haley tried to soothe, rubbing her hand on his back. "You can't think like that."

"I can't help it sometimes. I look at Maddie and I just wonder. My life could have been so different. She could be growing up with out me-"

"But she's not. She has you, and she loves you. You're the best father, Nathan. You can't possibly forget that."

He shrugged weakly, "I wonder if she'd be better off."  
"Stop it!" Haley scolded, "You have given her an amazing life. The best. I know it's hard some days, but you're doing everything right. Stop second guessing yourself."

Nathan nodded, looking deeply in Haley's chocolate brown eyes, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Hales."

"Luckily, you'll never have to find out," Haley smiled and placed a reassuring kiss on his lips.

Nathan nodded softly and squeezed her hand, "Thank you."

"For what?"

He shrugged again, "For accepting me. I know it's not easy."

"I have a past too, you know." Haley said shakily.

"And I still love you," Nathan smirked gently.

"I know." Haley's gaze fell back on the picture she was holding. "So, um, how did she die?"

Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose, "There was a complication at birth. She started hemorrhaging."

"That's horrible," Haley gasped, "I'm sorry."

Nathan shrugged, "I feel bad. I never knew her. Hell, I forgot who she was and even when I found this picture of her, I still couldn't remember. It sucks she never got to know Maddie, but I'm selfishly glad I get to keep her all to myself."  
Haley nodded, "What about her family?"

"I reached out, but never heard back. It doesn't matter now, I have sole custody anyway."

"Good," Haley whispered, "so we don't have to worry?"

"We don't have to worry," he reassured her with a sweet kiss.

"Does, um, Maddie know?"  
Nathan nodded, "Yeah. She asked about her mom when she was three. I didn't see the point in lying to her. I mean, she has every right to know, so I showed her this picture."

"How'd she take it?"

"I told her the truth. Well, most of it. I just said her mom died and I was the lucky Daddy who got to keep her. She took it pretty well considering. She did have questions though, and I tried to answer them as best as possibly. Eventually she stopped asking," Nathan explained. "For a while she held on to this picture but a few months ago she said she didn't want it anymore, so I kept in a box with a bunch of other stuff from Maddie's baby days."

"You're a good man, Nathan. Stepping in like that. Not many people would have done that." Haley gushed, rubbing her hand along his jaw.

"It was the right thing to do. I wouldn't have it any other way." Nathan shared softly.

Haley nodded in agreement, "I'm happy that Mads didn't take it too hard."

"Yeah, I guess she's still too young to really understand."

"That's true."

"She actually, uh, asked me if she could frame a picture of you and her so she could keep it in her room. I told her it was okay, but I'd double check with you."  
Haley's heart melted, "Of course. That's so sweet!"  
"She really loves you, babe." Nathan smiled.

"I know. I really love her, too."  
Sensing another presence, Nathan turned to see Maddie standing in his doorway with a shy smile. "Are you talking about me?"  
Nathan cocked his head, beckoning Maddie to join them on the bed. "Come here, goof. I want to apologize. I didn't mean to yell at you, little bear. I love you. You know that, right?"

Maddie nodded, "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too. I love you, Daddy."

She climbed into his lap and gave him a ginormous hug. Nathan feigned being crushed, and fell backwards, landing flat on top of the bed.

"Rawr!" Maddie screeched, laughing wildly as her father started tickling her sides.

Haley joined in on the laughter and began climbing onto of Nathan, trying to pin him down and for the slightest second, she let herself pretend they were a family.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for the reviews, they're always so fun to read. Anyway, shout out to Mel for helping me out with this chapter. Hope you guys like it!**

. . . . .

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon in Tree Hill, and with Nathan stuck at the office to handle a work emergency, Haley thought it was the perfect time to bond with Maddie. After grabbing a quick lunch at Karen's Café, the two girls found themselves at the mall, where they were now walking hand-in-hand around a clothing boutique. Maddie wore a bashful grin, practically skipping down the girl's section as Haley helped her pick out a new dress.

"What do you think of this one, Mads?"

Maddie turned slightly and nodded approvingly. "It's pretty!"

The dress was a light purple, decorated with pastel flowers, making for the perfect springtime ensemble. Haley knew Maddie would look absolutely adorable in it. She folded it over her arm, "I think so, too."

"Are you gonna wear it?" Maddie asked.

Haley chuckled, "I would but I don't think I'd fit in it, Sunshine."

"Oh," Maddie's nose scrunched, emulating the look she learned from watching Haley, "then why are you buying it?"

"It's for you."

Maddie's blue eyes crinkled with appreciation. "Really?"

Haley couldn't get over how much Maddie resembled Nathan whenever she made that face; it melted her heart.

"Of course, silly. Do you want it?"

She watched a childlike grin flit over Maddie's lips. "Yes, please."

"Alright, well then it's yours," Haley squeezed Maddie's hand gently, smiling when the feeling was reciprocated.

Maddie squealed excitedly, "Thanks, Hales."

The six-year-old was used to her Daddy and Grandma Deb spoiling her whenever they went to the store, but it was a whole new treat to be pampered by her darling Ms. James.

"You're very welcome, Mads." Haley beamed pridefully. When she was younger, it was rare her mother would ever buy her something without reason — not because she didn't want to, but because she simply couldn't. As one of seven, it was hard for Haley's parents to afford more than the necessities. She never minded, of course, but she often dreamed of being able to spoil her own children one day. Now that she couldn't do that, it made Haley feel content to buy something for Maddie.

With their hands still connected, Haley walked to the cash register, but on the trek there, she saw something catch Maddie's eye, slowing them down a bit.

Maddie seemed to be entranced by a pair of sparkly ballet flats, propped idly on display.

"Try them on," Haley encouraged softly.

Pulled from her daydream, Maddie glanced upwards. "Oh no, that's okay."

"Why not? They're so cute."

She shrugged, "I don't have any money."

Haley laughed loudly, "Well I do."

Maddie bit her lip — another habit picked up from Haley — "But you're already buying me the dress."

Bending down so she was at the same level as Maddie, Haley smiled reassuringly. "I can buy you both."

"That's okay. You really don't have to."

"I know I don't have to," Haley teased playfully, "but I want to."  
Maddie giggled, "Well I guess I can try them on."

Taking the shoes off the shelf, Haley helped slip them onto Maddie's feet. "How do they feel?"

"They fit perfect!" Maddie exclaimed excitedly.

"Just like Cinderella," Haley beamed. "Alright, let's get 'em."

"Are you sure? Will Daddy be mad?"

Haley gently grabbed the tip of Maddie's nose, teasingly. "I'm sure. And don't worry about your Daddy — I can handle him."

Maddie pursed her lips together, "You'll kiss him?"

Another chuckle emit from between Haley's lips, "Yes, I'll kiss him."

"Yuck!"

She shook her head, laughing, "Come on, goof, let's go pay."

Their hands found each other's again, intertwining as they waited in line. To anyone around them, it looked as if they were just another mother/daughter duo, and if they were being honest, both secretly wished that was the case.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Haley took Maddie in a few more stores, and ended up buying her another new outfit, as well as a green dress for herself, knowing that Nathan would love it.

As she thought of him, she pulled out her phone and was about to text him how she missed him, but smiled when she saw he had already beat her to it.

 _"Hi babe, hope you're having fun with Mads and she's not giving you too much trouble, haha. Just wanted to let you know I love you and miss you. See you soon, beautiful!"_

Her smile didn't falter as she typed a quick response, " _Hey! We're having a blast, but we miss you. Maddie's an angel as always, haha. Love you."_

"Is that Daddy?" Maddie guessed from the giddy smile on Haley's lips.

"Yep, he says he loves and misses you."

Maddie smiled, "Me too, but I'm happy that we spent the day together just me and you."  
Haley's heart leapt softly, "Me too, Mads."

They continued walking through the mall, window shopping, until Maddie unconsciously stopped in front of a dress shop — more precisely, a wedding dress shop. On display was a gorgeous mermaid style wedding gown. It was simple, but elegant, with a sparkling, gem encrusted bodice.

Haley's eyes settled upon the dress and audibly gasped. It was beautiful.

"When you marry Daddy, you should wear that dress!" Maddie exclaimed.

Haley heard Maddie, but was at a loss for words. She was in a trance; picturing herself in that dress, walking down the aisle of the white church her parents married in, and seeing Nathan at the end of the altar. She saw Maddie there, dressed in a little yellow dress, sprinkling purple flowers before her.

She shook her head. Who was she kidding? She and Nathan have only been dating for six months. There was no way a wedding was on the horizon just yet. It was too soon. But still, Haley couldn't help but dream. And what a dream it was …

"You'd look so pretty in it, Hales." Maddie continued.

Haley finally peeled her eyes from the dress and looked down at Maddie, whose blue eyes were also filled with dreams. "You think so?"

"Mmhm," Maddie nodded enthusiastically, "You'll look like a Princess!"

Haley giggled, "Maybe."

"I know Daddy said it's too early, but I really, really, really hope you get married," she gushed quietly.

"Wanna know a secret?" Haley smiled, "I hope so, too."

Maddie beamed giddily as she and Haley continued dreaming in front of the wedding gown. Several minutes later, they were back in the throngs of the Saturday afternoon crowd, only stopping again when Maddie started slowing down.

"Are you okay, Sunshine?" Haley asked, noticing Maddie's change in pace and assumed she was getting tired.

Maddie simply nodded, but didn't take her eyes off of the jewelry booth in the middle of the mall.

Haley traced her gaze and made a move to walk over to the booth. There was a small display of earrings, and in the middle a girl about Maddie's age was seated, presumably waiting to get her ears pierced.

"Do you want to look at the earrings?" Haley guessed.

Maddie shook her head sadly, bringing her fingers up to her empty ears. "My ears aren't pierced. I'm the only girl in Mrs. Harding's class who doesn't have earrings."

Haley sighed softly, "Do they make fun of you for it?"

"No," Maddie slumped, "But Caroline said girls can only get their ears pierced with their Moms."

Haley felt a little corner of her heart chip away; it hurt her heart whenever Maddie expressed the lack of her mother. She just wanted to take her into her arms and reassure her.

She was, once again, at a loss for words. Should she take Maddie to get her ears pierced?

"Did you ask your Dad about it?"

Maddie shook her head, "No. He's a boy. He wouldn't understand it."

"What about your Grandma?"

Maddie shrugged, "She's been traveling a lot."

"Oh," Haley frowned, "Well, do you really want your ears to get pierced?"

The little girl's eyes grew bigger, "Yeah!"  
Haley remembered the day her own mom took her to get her ears pierced. It was one of the very rare moments where it was just her and her mother; no other James kids tagged along. To this day, it was still one of Haley's favorite memories with her mom. She just wanted Maddie to be happy, and share a similar experience.

"Alright, come on. I'll take you." Haley beckoned with a small grin.

"Seriously?" Maddie lit up.

"Yeah, as long as you're up for it."

She nodded vigorously and wrapped her arms around Haley's waist, "I am!"

Haley laughed softly and led her over to the booth where an older woman was working.

"Hi, excuse me, would you be able to pierce her ears today?"

The woman looked up from her paper work and gave both Haley and Maddie a kind smile. "Of course, just pick out the earrings you'd like."

"Can you help me, Haley?"

"I'd love to."

They eyed a few pairs of earrings, but Maddie ultimately settled on a dainty pair of sterling silver studs; similar to something she had seen Haley wear quite a few times.

Minutes later, Maddie was sitting in the seat ready for her ears to be pierced. She held onto Haley's hand tightly, but her smile never wavered despite her obvious nerves.

"Ready, Maddie?" The worker asked softly.

Maddie simply nodded, eyeing Haley.

"They're gonna look so good on you, Mads!" Haley enthused. She knew the piercing gun was going to sting a little bit, so she tried to distract Maddie from the pain.

"Okay. One, two, three!" The woman counted, then pierced the left side of Maddie's ear. To Haley's surprise, Maddie didn't even cry, but only flinched slightly. Then again, Haley should have known better — she was Nathan's daughter, and Nathan never showed pain.

The woman finished piercing Maddie's other ear, then held up a mirror to show her how the earrings looked.

She grinned, ear to ear, as she took in her new jewelry. "I love it so much! Thanks, Haley!"

"You're welcome," Haley kissed the side of Maddie's cheek, "You look beautiful. You did so good, babe! I'm proud of you."  
As Maddie continued to enthuse about herself, Haley finished signing a few papers and paid the woman for the earrings. She ended up picking out a new pair for herself, as well and planned to surprise Maddie to show her they were matching.

"You ready to go home?" She called out, smiling.

Maddie smirked, "Yep. I can't wait to show Daddy!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sure enough, Nathan was home, patiently waiting for his two favorite girls to come home. When he heard the front door push open, he got up from his spot on the couch so he could greet them properly.

"Hey," he couldn't help but grin. Seeing Haley and Maddie always made his day better. "You girls have fun?"

"Yep, Daddy, wait 'til you see what I got!"

Nathan eyed the large bags both his daughter and girlfriend were carrying and chuckled. "What did you do? Buy the whole place?"

Haley laughed and leaned on the tips of her toes to kiss Nathan quickly. "Maybe we went a little overboard," she quipped.

"How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. It was my treat."

Nathan looked at his smiling daughter and furrowed his brow, "Are you sure? I know how she can get in stores."

"It's fine, really. I actually picked out most of it."

"Did you tell Haley thank you, Mads?" Nathan asked.

"She did, and before you start thanking me too, it was no problem. We had a great time. Right, Sunshine?" Haley grinned.

Maddie bounced up and down, "Yep. I had the best day ever!"

"Good. I'm glad," Nathan said, truly meaning it. He loved how happy Haley made Maddie. It was the same kind of happiness he felt whenever Haley was in his arms.

Haley shared a sweet smile with him before he leaned down and pressed his lips passionately against hers. They knew they had to keep it PG since Maddie was right there, but it was hard not to get caught up in the kiss.

"So, what did you get?" Nathan asked, trying to sneak a peek in the various shopping bags.

"I got a new dress, new shoes, and look—," Maddie moved her dark hair behind her ears to show off her new earrings.

Nathan's eyes nearly bulged out of the sockets. "What are those?" He asked lowly.

"Earrings, Daddy!" Maddie laughed, rolling her eyes. Boys could be so dumb sometimes.

Haley tried to gage his reaction. She knew he might be a little upset that she didn't ask him first, but hoped he'd understand.

She watched as his nostrils flared slightly, and gulped. It wasn't looking good.

"Are they real?" His eyes finally moved off of Maddie's ears and fell upon Haley who was biting her lip nervously.

"Yes," Maddie answered. "And it didn't even hurt!" She, unfortunately, was oblivious to the ever-growing tension in the room.

"Haley," he muttered tightly, "Can I see you in the kitchen?"

Haley nodded weakly, fiddling with the strap of the bag in her hand.

"Take your stuff upstairs, Maddie. We'll talk later," Nathan commanded, then led Haley into the kitchen.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He exploded. Haley blinked, not expecting his loud outburst.

"She's six-years-old! She's way too young to get her ears pierced." He continued ranting, pacing the tiles of the kitchen.

"Nathan," Haley mumbled, "please calm down."

"Calm down?" He screamed, repeating her words. "You just took MY daughter to get her ears pierced!"

"I'm sorry," Haley's voice wavered, "I know I should have asked you first but-.."

"You're damned right you should have asked me first. I can't believe you did this." He fumed.

Haley furrowed her eyebrows and folded her arms across her chest, heatedly. "You're overreacting."

"No, Haley, I'm not overreacting. You just let my daughter put freakin' permanent holes in her ears and didn't ask me. I think I have a right to be pissed off."  
Haley blew out a heavy breath, "I said I was sorry."

"Yeah, well, I don't know what you were thinking," he glared at her.

"I was thinking we were bonding and I wanted to do something nice for her!" She screamed back.

"Because the clothes weren't enough?" He spat sarcastically. "Look, Haley, I get you want to spend time with her but you just… you can't make decisions like that! I'm her father!"

"I know that, Nathan." Haley argued, "You don't have to be threatened just because Maddie and I are spending time together."

Nathan laughed sardonically, "Threatened? You think I'm threatened? Last time I checked, Haley, she's not yours. Stop acting like she is."

Ouch.

Just like a knife through a heart, Haley felt the pain ripping through her chest. Tears prickled behind the whites of her eyes. She and Nathan had never fought like this before.

"You're an asshole," she turned her back so he wouldn't see the tears.

Once the words left his mouth, he immediately regretted it. "Hales-,"

"No," she cried, "I can't even look at you right now. Tell Maddie goodbye for me," Haley stormed out of the kitchen and grabbed her stuff, all without once looking back at Nathan. He might as well have slapped her— it would have hurt less. She knew he was mad, but disrespecting her relationship with Maddie like that was going way too far.

Nathan let his stubborn pride keep him from chasing after her. Just because he regret saying it, didn't mean he still wasn't pissed. He didn't want Maddie having holes on her body. She was too young. And he wasn't used to sharing her or having someone else call the shots.

By the time Haley got to her car, the tears were already pouring down her cheeks. She sped off, without a second thought, and didn't see Maddie's heartbroken face peering out of the window from her upstairs bedroom.

. . . . . .

 **Don't worry, this isn't the end of Naley — just a minor bump in the road. I wanted a little drama. Don't hate me too much haha**

 **Thanks for all the reviews. xo**


	19. Chapter 19

**I was blown away by the amount of feedback I received last chapter (both good and bad) so thank you!**

 **Many of you hoped that Haley wouldn't forgive Nathan easily, and I can assure you that won't happen. Both Nathan and Haley made mistakes. Haley should have asked him first, and he shouldn't have said that to Haley, so they're both in the wrong. This chapter has a lot more drama in it, but please trust me and trust the story that everything will eventually work out. I hate writing stories that are unrealistic and fake (I'm sorry if anyone thinks this story is) so it's going to take a little while before they work things out.**

 **It's important to know that Haley is really insecure about not being able to have kids, which is why she may come across as 'weak' but she won't be like that forever. I hope this chapter explains a bit more because I usually let my writing do the talking/explaining. If you have questions or concerns please DM me so I can clear it up.**

 **Many of you might not like this chapter, and I'm sorry but it needed to happen. I promise you things won't be like this forever. Just trust me and this story!**

 **Also, huge shout out to othfangirl for helping me out big time. You're the best!**

. . . . .

"He said that to you?" Brooke stared in shock as she watched her best friend practically fall apart at the seams. She had just come home from work and found Haley sprawled out on the couch, crying.

"Ye-yeah. I know it was stupid and irresponsible to let Maddie get her ears pierced, but I just wanted it to be special for her. I didn't know Nathan was going to react like that."

Ever since storming out of Nathan's house, Haley couldn't stop replaying their fight. She simply couldn't understand how such a good day ignited into a dark and dreary storm. Well, she did know — it was her fault. If she could re-do things she would. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. Haley desperately wanted to fall into the role of a mother, that she made some unruly decisions. She felt stupid — childish — but most importantly, she felt devastated by Nathan's comment. Her insecurities stemming from her inability to conceive were still raw, but his reminder that she wasn't, and never was going to be, Maddie's mother, stung like poison in her veins. She had spent the entire drive home with tears rolling harshly down the skin of her cheeks.

Haley didn't want to look at Nathan. It hurt. His words hurt. But what hurt the most was the idea that maybe his words came from his subconscious; maybe they stemmed from the frustration that she would never be able to give him the life he wanted. Maybe, just maybe, they weren't meant to be after all.

At that thought, another wave of pain struck the inside of her core, rattling every nerve until it burned with fire.

Nathan was right though. She wasn't Maddie's mother, and she should stop trying to act like it. Maybe she couldn't have kids for a reason. Maybe she'd never be good enough.

"Sweetie, he probably didn't mean it." Brooke tried to coax her.

Haley wiped her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, sure she had to have looked like a dead person. "It doesn't matter. He said it, and it hurt me, Brooke. I'm so mad at him. I mean, how could he have thrown that in my face like that?"

Brooke rubbed her hand over Haley's back, "it was totally uncalled for, you're right. And you shouldn't let him off the hook, no matter how many times he calls."

Haley groaned when, at that moment, her phone started vibrating. Of course, it was Nathan. She hit decline just like the past four times. "Trust me, there's no way I'm forgiving him that easily," she grumbled.

"Good. Let him grovel a bit."  
Haley sighed, "Honestly, Brooke, I think it might be best if Nathan and I…" God, she couldn't even say it without wanting to fall over into a heap of sobs, "maybe we should go our own ways."

Brooke nearly gasped, "You don't mean that, Hales. It's the pain talking."  
She shook her head, "I don't deserve them, Brooke. Besides, Nathan's words hurt me. More than anyone will ever know. I can't just forget he said them and move on. Life's not a freakin' movie — it's a Goddamned train wreck."

. . . . . . .

"You look beautiful."

Haley jumped from her spot behind the desk. Her class had gone home about a half-hour ago, and she had stayed behind creating lesson plans — keeping busy was the only way to avoid thinking about Nathan. But, sure enough, he had showed up, standing in the doorway looking sexy as ever — not that she could really tell considering she still refused to look at him.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Nathan." She commented blandly, her eyes staying focused on the paper in front of her.

"Come on, Hales. You've been ignoring my calls for two days. Can we please just talk?"

"I have nothing to say to you," she mumbled.

"Well I have something to say to you. I'm sorry," Nathan's voice was strained as he teetered on the edge of losing it all. "You know I didn't mean it, baby."

Her eyes clenched shut. "I can't do this."

"You can't do what? Talk to me?"

Haley's head remained down, forcing herself not to look at him. "I'll be by later to pick up my stuff."

Nathan blinked, nearly falling backwards. "What? Hales, come on. Don't be like this. Let's just talk-,"

With her back still turned towards him, she inhaled a shaky breath. "You said plenty the other night, Nathan. And you know what? You're right. I'm not Maddie's mother and I'm never going to be her mother. That's what you really meant to say, isn't it?"

Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose, "Haley, please don't be like this…"

Haley shook her head, finally meeting his somber stare. He looked distraught. "I guess I should be thankful that I finally know how you really feel," she said shakily, "and I guess I was the one kidding myself into thinking that we'd ever be a real family. So thank you for making things crystal clear to me, Nathan."

And once again, she stormed past him, like a tornado, leaving him both dizzy and completely ruined.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

True to her word, Haley arrived at the Scott residence later that night to pick up her stuff. She wasn't nearly prepared to say goodbye to the two most important people in her life, but it was what was best. Haley knew they'd be better off without her. It'd be one of the hardest things she'd ever do, but she had to do it.

Nathan opened the door with a mixture of hesitation, anger, and hurt floating in his blue pooled eyes.

"Are you here to talk?" He asked lowly.

Haley shook her head and stared at her shoes. "No, Nathan. You know why I'm here."

She heard him expel a heavy breath, "You're being ridiculous, Haley."

"Am I?" She shot back, fiery. "Look, Nathan, I'm sorry I didn't ask you first. I realize it was a mistake, but what you said to me…" her words trailed off into empty space. "I just, I can't forget that."

His shoulders slumped, "So this is it? You're leaving me?"

Haley squeezed her eyelids, desperate to keep her tears confined. "I think we both need time to think about things."

He stepped aside slowly and let her through the front door. Haley kept her head down and walked inside, ready to gather her belongings.

"Haley…" he muttered lamely, and followed her as she walked up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Please don't make this harder than it already is," Haley pleaded, anxious to get out of there as quickly as possible. Too many memories happened between the walls of his bedroom. Her gaze settled onto the bed and she almost smiled. So many nights she crawled under those sheets and feel asleep in his arms. It's where they first made love and he whispered everything was going to be okay. She felt safe, almost like it was heaven— oh, how she longed to be back in there.

Nathan watched her tear open the closet he had just cleared for her not too long ago. She grabbed her few shirts, and under garments, doing her best to ignore Nathan's heavy stare.

"I can't believe this," he said with a vicious anger lacing between each word. "I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?"

It was then when Maddie heard their voices, and ran across the hall into her Dad's room. With wide eyes, she took in Haley's now empty drawer and tear stained cheeks.

"What are you doing, Haley?" Maddie's voice quivered.

Nathan clenched his jaw tightly. His heart was already crumbling to pieces, but now that Maddie knew Haley was leaving, she was going to be inconsolable.

Haley struggled to remain in one piece. She felt herself on the edge of combustion, but had to be strong for Madeline.

Tentatively, she kneeled down and pulled the little girl into her arms. "Listen, sweetie, I have to go away for a little bit but I need you to understand how much I love you."

"You- you're leaving?"

Haley took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Mads. I don't want to hurt you."

"But… but… why?" By now, both Maddie and Haley were crying. It hurt Nathan to watch.

Haley sniffled and glanced at Nathan, who looked as if he were the edge of breaking, too.

He sighed heavily, "Maddie—"

"Did I do something wrong?" She choked out, clinging onto Haley.

"Of course not, Mads. This is just between me and your Dad," Haley whispered, trying to console her.

"Is it 'cos I got my ears pierced?" Maddie's whole face looked deflated, Haley could no longer look at her.

"It's not your fault, sweetheart. Please believe that," Haley squeezed her reassuringly, and Maddie wouldn't let go.

"I love you, Haley. Please don't go! You can't leave us." She was screaming now, and Haley knew she had to leave. There was no way she could stay after practically ripping Maddie's heart out of her chest.

"I'm sorry, Maddie. I'm so sorry," Haley whispered repeatedly, holding onto Maddie tightly, "Please don't be too upset, okay? Be good for your Daddy."

At that, Haley stood up and wiped her eyes. It hurt like hell, but she knew in the end it'd be worth it. They deserved better.

She and Nathan needed time to think, alone, and possibly reevaluate their wants for the future. She wanted so badly to be Nathan's wife and Maddie's mother, but maybe that wasn't enough for them. She couldn't get the harassing voice out of her head. She needed to leave.

"Haley," Nathan pleaded one last time, "I'm sorry."

Haley looked between Maddie and Nathan one last time, and choked back a sob. "I'm sorry, too."

As she ran down the stairs and out of the house, she heard Maddie start screaming.

"I hate you, Daddy! This is your fault! You were mean to Haley and now she left us!"

Nathan fell onto the bed and sighed, his head collapsing into his hands. "Maddie—"

She was on the floor, wailing wildly. She simply couldn't understand why they were fighting just because Haley did something nice for her and let her get her ears pierced. She was so angry.

"I wanted her to be my Mommy!" Maddie screeched, "Now I'm never gonna have a mom because of you!"

An ache tore through Nathan's body, crushing the weight of his soul. His two favorite girls hated him and he didn't know what to do. The guilt of his words already haunted him, and now Maddie blamed him for Haley leaving. If he could take it all back, he would in a heartbeat. The last thing he wanted was Maddie and Haley to be mad at him. He wasn't going to lie though; he was still pissed Haley didn't talk to him about piercing Maddie's ears, but he didn't mean to tell her to stop acting as if Maddie was hers. There was nothing he loved more than how much Haley made Maddie smile. He loved their relationship and how much it emulated a mother/daughter bond. He honestly didn't know what made him say those words to Haley, but he regret it the second they left his lips.

He didn't blame Haley for leaving. He'd be pissed too. He basically undermined every moment they shared, and he knew how much Maddie meant to Haley, and now he ruined it.

Nathan should have known better; Haley was already insecure about not being able to conceive.

"Maddie, I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say but apologize. He hoped Maddie and Haley would eventually forgive him. He wasn't going to give up that easily. He'd let Haley have her time to cool off, but if he had to fight for her, he would.

Maddie wasn't having it. She continued to scream and cry, "I wanna live with Grandma Deb!"

…..

thanks again for the feedback. Seriously, I love hearing what y'all think. I'll update soon, promise. Definitely by the end of the week.

So... Haley left. Some of you might think she's acting like a child or overreacting but it needed to be done. I really am sorry if you don't like it but in the end, I'm happy where this is headed and I'm excited for you to see the rest of the journey.


	20. Chapter 20

"Are you even listening to me, Nate?"

Nathan was pulled from his decaying thoughts at the sound of Clay's harsh tone. They were supposed to be working on a new scouting report, but his heart and mind simply weren't in it.

He rubbed his tired eyes and sighed, "Sorry, Clay."

"What's going on, man? You've been out of it these past few days."

Clay noticed the bags under his friend's eyes were sagging — a match with his now permanent frown. Nathan's joyous attitude and infectious grin were no where to be found.

"I, uh… Haley left me." The words hurt almost as if it was happening all over again. A sucker punch straight to the stomach, although Nathan was pretty sure that would hurt a hell of a lot less.

"What?" Clay's eyes grew wide, "What the hell did you do?"

Nathan scowled, "Why do you assume it was me?"

Clay gave him a pointed look and Nathan sank in his chair. "Alright, yeah, I fucked up, okay? We got into a fight and I said something stupid so she left and now she and Maddie haven't spoken to me for the past three days."  
"Wow," Clay blew out a deep breath, "Well that explains why you've looked like a sad puppy all day.

Nathan groaned, rubbing his hands over his cocked jaw. "I don't know what to do, Clay. I feel like shit. Maddie won't even look at me anymore and Haley stopped answering my calls."

"Whatever you said man, you better fix it. I don't know how Haley and Maddie feel, but I can't take another day of you looking like the walking dead."

"Trust me, I'm trying." Nathan mumbled, staring off into the distance.

"Well try harder!" Clay advised, "Haley's the best damn thing that ever happened to you and Maddie-,"

"You think I don't know that?" Nathan exploded, standing up from behind his desk. "They hate me right now, and you know what? I hate myself because of it!"

Clay's hard features softened as he placed a gentle hand on his friend's crippling back. "It's gonna be okay."

Nathan's head dropped into the palms of his hands, "I'm not so sure anymore."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Haley dropped to her desk and let out a heavy breath. The kids were brutal today. No one was listening, and all she wanted to do was crawl under the covers of her bed and cry. Thankfully, they were now at lunch so she had a moment of peace and quiet. Then again, maybe that wasn't so good.

When it was quiet, her brain started screaming — wandering into dangerous territory involving two pairs of very blue eyes.

She missed them. She couldn't help it. As angry and hurt as she was, she was still in love with Nathan. She didn't think she'd ever stop loving him, or Maddie.

"Ugh!," She groaned out loud. It was hard enough having to leave Nathan, but leaving Maddie… Haley didn't think there was anything worse in the world. Maddie's screams and pleadings still echoed in her ear, haunting her.

It took every ounce of will not to turn around and pull Maddie into her arms. Haley told herself, repeatedly, it's for the best. Now Nathan can find someone who will give him more kids and Maddie will have siblings.

Her heart clenched tightly in her chest. The pain simply was never going to go away.

"Haley?" A timid voice came from the doorway, causing Haley to turn swiftly.

There stood one pair of the two blue eyes she'd been thinking about.

Without a second thought, Haley stood up and leaned down as Maddie raced into her arms.

"What're you doing here, Mads? You're supposed to be at lunch." Haley's voice was a blend between being both stern and shocked.

"I just missed you," Maddie pouted, resting her head against Haley's chest.

The pain in Haley's chest slowly subsided as she squeezed Maddie softly. How was she possibly going to live without these little arms around her every day? It was only three days and she was already going through withdrawals.

"I missed you, too, Sunshine." Haley whispered. She knew it was wrong Maddie was in her class, but she also didn't want to let her go.

Pulling away slightly so she could look into her eyes, Haley brushed Maddie's hair out off of her face. "How are you doing?"

Maddie shrugged and looked at her shoes. "Not so good, Haley."

Haley's teeth sunk into her lip. She could see the anguish on Maddie's face and knew she was the reason for it.

"How's um, your Daddy?" God, it hurt her to even have to ask.

Maddie shrugged again, "I don't know. I'm not talking to him anymore, but he seems really sad too." She grumbled defiantly, looking so much like her father, Haley almost wanted to laugh.

"Mads, don't be mad at your Daddy. I know you're upset but it's not his fault."

Maddie pouted, "Yes it is. He was mean to you and I hate him."

Haley smiled placatingly, "It's a lot more complicated than that, Maddie. I don't want you to be sad anymore."

Maddie looked up at her pleadingly, "Can you and Daddy get back together?"

"I don't think so, Maddie. I'm sorry," Haley swallowed hard as she watched Maddie's bright blue eyes fill with pools of tears.

"Oh," her shoulders slumped visibly.

Haley hugged Maddie one last time, "Please don't be upset. Your Daddy loves you so much, and so do I."

Maddie nodded solemnly, "I don't wanna lose you."

"You're never going to lose me, Madeline Scott. I promise you. We'll still see each other." Haley promised with a reassuring hug. She placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Maddie buried her face in Haley's shirt and sighed.

"No more tears, Mads. Come on, let me see you smile."  
Maddie, whose face was still hidden, shook her head.

"Come on!" Haley begged, "I know it's there." She tried tickling Maddie, earning a few squeals and giggles. "There it is!" She beamed.

Maddie wiped away her tears with the backs of her hands and smiled softly.

"Alright, one more hug and then it's back to lunch for you, missy. I don't want you getting into trouble."

"Can't I just stay with you?" Maddie pouted her lips to resemble a puppy, and Haley wanted to groan. It was so hard saying no to that little girl.

"Sorry, kiddo. No can do."

"Ugh," Maddie groaned dramatically.

Haley laughed softly, "You'll be okay."

"I just wish you'd come back," she mumbled, her features drifting somberly again.

They clung onto each other, "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Later that night, Haley laid in bed, wide awake as she replayed her conversation with Maddie. She was not aware of the extent her absence had on the little girl. Was she really not talking to Nathan?  
That made Haley feel terrible. Was Nathan actually sad, too?

She turned over and groaned into her pillow; there was no way she'd be sleeping tonight.

It was still fairly early, but Haley was shocked when there was a knock on her front door. Brooke was out tonight, so she had no idea who it could be, but decided to get up and see anyway.

Swinging open the door, Haley nearly gasped as she took in Nathan's appearance. He was completely disheveled— his hair stuck up in every direction, and it looked as if he had been crying.

Before she even had the chance to ask if he was okay, Nathan started talking.

"Is Maddie here?"

Haley's eyes grew wide, "What? No. Why?"

Nathan muttered a curse and dragged his fingers through his mussed hair. "She's… she's gone."

Her blood ran cold, "What? What do you mean, she's gone, Nathan?" Panic rose from her throat and seeped into her words.

"I can't find her," he choked out.

"Oh my God," Haley breathed. She no longer cared that she stood in front of her ex, dressed in tattered pajama pants and a ratty t-shirt. Every thought turned to Maddie and for her safety. "We have to find her!"

. . . . . .

 **Sorry, sorry, sorry. I just love cliff-hangers ;) Please don't hate me!**

 **I know this chapter was short but I thought this was a good place to end it. Next chap will be longer and (possibly) a Naley reconciliation. I'll try to update this weekend but I've been really busy.**

 **Thanks again for all the AMAZING reviews. Y'all rock!**


	21. Chapter 21

Nathan's world was a mere blur; he could barely distinguish his left from his right. All he wanted was to find Maddie and make sure she was safe. He didn't even know how he ended up at Haley's apartment. It's like he was on autopilot—and assumed it'd be the first place Maddie would run to.

He watched Haley grab her keys off the counter and drag a hand through her hair.

"Come on," she insisted, practically running out of her place. His feet were following but his brain wasn't registering the movement.

Somehow, he ended up in the passenger seat of Haley's silver Lexus. She was talking, but Nathan didn't hear.

"Where have you already looked?"

Nathan snapped from his daze and blew out a heavy breath. "I came straight here. I thought this was where she'd be."

Haley bit her lip, and swallowed the rock-like feeling forming at the back of her throat. "What happened, Nathan?"

Nathan shook his head, "I… I don't even know. We got into a fight and I sent her to her room. I checked on her not long after and she was just… gone."

Haley clenched her eyes tightly, silently praying Maddie was alright. When her eyes opened, she watched as Nathan sank low in his seat, almost as if he had deflated.

"We'll find her, Nathan. I know we will."

Nathan merely nodded, "I can't lose her, Haley. She's all I have." His voice was strained, and Haley's heart broke.

Tentatively, she reached out and grabbed his hand to lace her fingers with his, "You have me."

A ghost of a smile traced over Nathan's lips and gently squeezed her hand—silently communicating his appreciation.

As Haley drove around, almost aimlessly, Nathan desperately searched out the window and made a few calls. Neither his mother nor brother knew where Maddie was, but promised to help search for her.

The more time passed, the more worried he and Haley became. They didn't have to talk to know what the other was thinking.

"I think I should go home and call the police," Nathan finally voiced aloud.

Haley glanced over at him, slightly panicked. "Are—are you sure?"

He nodded, "I should be there just in case she comes back."

"Okay, I'll take you back to my place so you can get your car. I'm gonna keep looking."

Nathan licked his dry lips, "You don't have to do that."

"It's Maddie, Nathan." Her voice was laced with strong conviction, and Nathan knew by the look in her eyes that she was just as worried as he was.

"Thank you, Hales. Really."

She pulled up in front of her apartment complex and mustered a weak smile. "Call me if something comes up."

He nodded and squeezed her hand one last time. "I will."

It wasn't until Nathan got back into his car that Haley leaned over the steering wheel and broke down in a fit of sobs.

Maddie was missing.

It hit her like a ton of bricks.

The only shed of light in Haley's life turned into brutal darkness. She had to find her.

Wiping her tear stained cheeks with the back of her palm, Haley inhaled a shaky breath and thought longingly as to where Maddie would be.

"Where are you, Madeline Scott?" Haley wondered, stepping on the gas pedal. She'd just about do anything to bring that little girl home.

As she turned onto the main road, Haley was struck with an idea as to where she might be.

It was a long shot, but she figured it was worth a try.

Haley was sure she had probably just broken every speeding limit in Tree Hill as she practically raced towards Market Street; where she, Nathan, and Maddie had gotten ice cream on their first 'date.'

She didn't care that she was in her pajamas. She didn't care that she probably looked like a lunatic. She didn't care that it was about to rain. She didn't care that she parked in a Handicapped parking spot. All she cared about was finding Maddie as she ran from her car and onto the docks.

"Maddie!" She called out, hoping for a response. Nothing.

Haley fought the tears that were rapidly welling at the brims of her eyes. She wasn't going to cry. Not yet.

She continued running. She ran until she found the little wooden table at the edge of the docks.

Her running stopped abruptly and hoped to God her eyes weren't deceiving her.

There, hunched over at the little wooden bench seat sat Maddie with her head in her hands, presumably crying.

"Oh my God," Haley whispered and released the breath she hadn't known she was holding. This time, she didn't try to hold back her tears, and let them slide down her cheeks.

"Maddie!" She called out loudly, causing the little girl to look up and grin. Haley's heart nearly stopped.

"Haley!"

Haley's feet started running again, and Maddie met her half way, throwing herself into her arms.

"Are you okay?" Haley rushed out, checking to see if the little girl was hurt anywhere.

Maddie smiled, "I'm fine."

"God, you scared me half to death, Madeline Rose Scott," Haley cried as she clung onto her, running her fingers through Maddie's dark hair. "Don't you ever run away again. Do you hear me?"

Maddie nodded meekly, "I promise, Haley."

Haley kissed her forehead, "Good. I don't want to lose you."

"Are you mad at me?"

Haley pulled away gently, but kept her tight grip on Maddie. "No, sweetie, I'm not mad at you. But your Daddy and I were worried sick."

"I'm sorry," Maddie whispered, "I was sad so I left and came here."

Haley kissed Maddie's cheek, "No more being sad, Sunshine. You have to be good for your Daddy. When you left, he got really scared."

"Does he hate me?"

"Of course not, Mads. Your Daddy loves you so much." Haley promised. "Come on. Let's get you home." She hugged her close to her chest one more time, never wanting to let go.

Maddie grabbed onto her hand, and walked back to Haley's car. After buckling her in the back seat, Haley drove back to Nathan's, anxious to get his daughter home safely.

When they arrived, Nathan was pacing on the front porch, biting his nails with fraying nerves. He looked up at the sound of a car door and sighed when he saw Haley. "No luck?"

Haley bit gently on her lower lip and silently opened the back door to let Maddie out.

Nathan's eyes widened as he ran down the steps and opened his arms, ready to embrace Maddie.

"Daddy!" She yelled, falling into his arms.

"Oh, God." He cried, his head falling onto her tiny shoulder as his arms wrapped tightly around her. "I'm so sorry Maddie. I'm so sorry."

Maddie rubbed her eyes as her Daddy peppered kisses all over her face. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to scare you, Daddy."

Nathan wiped his tears away with the pads of his thumbs, "Don't do it again. Do you understand me?"

She nodded softly, "I already promised Haley I wouldn't."

Nathan looked over her shoulder and met Haley's own tear-filled eyes. They traded a soft smile.

"I love you," he whispered in Maddie's hair. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

Nathan didn't want to let go. "Are you okay?"

Maddie nodded again, "Haley found me."

"Thank God. I don't know what I would've done-.." his words trailed as he choked on a breath.

"I'm okay, Daddy. I just want you and Haley to be in love again."

Nathan's heart clenched as his gaze once again settled upon Haley. She was hiding her tears behind her hands. Slowly, he stood up and made his way over to her. He grabbed her hand and smiled waveringly.

"Thank you for bringing her home to me," he whispered, leaning close so he could wrap his arms around her.

Haley melted into his embrace, "You know she means the world to me."

"I know. And you mean the world to us." Nathan breathed, allowing his lips to land softly on hers. The rain started to fall softly, but neither felt it—nor did they hear Maddie cheering in the background.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Next chapter Nathan and Haley will further discuss things. Don't think the kiss means everything is instantly fixed ;)


	22. Chapter 22

**Agh! I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get a new update. I had to take care of a few unexpected personal matters before I could even think about sitting down to write. Today I finally got the chance and the words couldn't stop flowing! I think I needed a tiny break to let it flow better. As much as I'd love to give you updates everyday, it's really grueling for a writer and I don't want to burn out. I really love this story so I want to give it my best effort and if I feel pressured, it doesn't come out the way I want. Anyways, I'm finally inspired again and have a week of free time so I'll update as much as I can; just be patient :)**

 **Thanks so much for all the amazing reviews. I love this chapter and I hope you do too!**

….

When Haley first felt the softness of Nathan's lips dancing over her own, she couldn't help but kiss him back—it was an instinct, a primal need and raw hunger. She lost herself for a moment, but when she heard a crack of thunder roar through the sky that she pulled away from his hastily.

"You shouldn't have done that, Nathan." Her words were breathless as they mingled with the cool air surrounding them.

His reply was equally as husky, "I wanted to."

She wanted nothing more than to just say 'screw it', wrap her arms around his neck and drag him into the house, up the stairs, and into his bedroom. But this time, her rationality outweighed the urges of her screaming desires. Haley had to be sensical; she was still mad at him. Nathan's harsh words couldn't be erased with one steamy kiss. It wasn't that easy.

"We need to talk," she whispered, remembering Maddie's presence behind her.

Nathan nodded, "Come inside."

It was then that he saw his daughter beaming on the edge of the front walkway, causing him to sigh. He should have known better than to kiss Haley in front of her. Madeline was already hurt and confused, and this would make it worse.

"Maddie, go to your room. We'll talk later," he said firmly.

Maddie's giddy smile fell at the harsh tone of her father's voice. She knew better than to disobey, but she also couldn't help but ask the question pestering her mind.

"Are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend again?"

His heart clenched at the obvious hope hanging from her voice. He didn't want to hurt her, but he also wasn't one to lie to his daughter. "No, Maddie, but Haley and I need to have an adult conversation, so go to your room. You're still in serious trouble for running away."

Maddie's head dropped in disappointment. "Okay."

He and Haley watched as she marched up the steps and pouted on the journey to her room. It wasn't long after until they trailed behind her and entered the house.

It was quiet. Eerily quiet; both silently recalling the time they made love on the couch they just walked past. The kitchen wasn't much different.

Haley leaned her back on the countertop and remembered when Nathan was the one who often trapped her between his chest and those very same counters, peppering kisses along her neck. She folded her arms over her chest as if she were able to shield her vulnerable, racing heart.

Nathan paced almost fretfully along the kitchen tiles. He knew what he wanted to say, but simply couldn't articulate the words; they were buried deep below the root of his heart.

Haley's invisible wall only made matters worse.

"I'm sorry," he started. It was lame, Nathan knew that, but it was the only way he knew how to express himself.

Haley exhaled a deep breath as she dropped her gaze to the floor. "I'm getting tired of hearing you say that, Nathan."

"It's the truth!"

"I know that." She whispered, "I know you're sorry."

"Do you? Because you're really not acting like it."

She shook her head, "I just can't forget what you said," her eyes slowly travelled upwards and onto his handsome features. His eyes looked utterly exhausted, but behind that, he was still the man she loved.

Nathan stopped his pacing and stood tentatively in front of her, practically pleadingly. "I never meant to hurt you, Hales. Can you at least understand that?"

Haley turned her head so she could avoid his smoldering eyes. Those blue pools could cause anyone to drown.

"I know that, too, Nathan. I know you didn't want to hurt me, but you still said it. You thought it, and whether or not you meant to say it, or hurt me, it's the fact that you could think something like that in the first place that hurts me the most. It's obvious that that's the way you feel."

"I-I don't," Nathan shook his head furiously, "I really don't know why I said that, Haley. It's not what I think at all. I love the relationship you have with Maddie. I was just pissed you got her ears pierced without asking me."

Haley frowned, "I know. I realize now that I should have gotten your permission, I just… I guess I wanted so badly to feel like a mother-figure. Even if it was just for twenty minutes. I wanted it to be something we shared, and she asked me, I couldn't say no."

Nathan dragged his hand over the front of his face, groaning slightly. "I guess I overreacted."

"No. You didn't," Haley argued softly, "You didn't overreact. You had every right to be angry. I let my insecurities take over, and that was stupid."

Nathan tried to interrupt, but she shook her head and continued talking.

"But I won't do what you say, Nathan. I won't stop caring for Maddie. I love her more than anything, and you have to know I'd do just about anything to call her my own. Was what I did right? No. You're still her father and you make the decisions, but God, Nathan, I love her as if she were my own and I won't dare to let you diminish that."

He nodded softly, "I know, Hales. I was stupid and foolish and I wish I could take it back; if I could I would."

Haley blinked, trying to hide the glossy coat of tears covering her eyes, but it was to no avail. A stray tear trickled down her cheek, "I just want to be a mom." Her voice was a hushed whisper. Nathan almost didn't hear it.

He did though, and he couldn't stop himself as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body flesh up against his own, letting her break down into a fit of sobs.

"It's okay, baby. Let it out," he tried to soothe her as he rubbed circles on her back. Haley choked on her own breath, crying hard into his chest.

She wanted it all to disappear and as ironic as it was, Nathan's arms were her safe place.

"I miss you so much," she cried. For too long she kept it all inside and now that she cracked, it was like a damn flood. She couldn't stop.

"I miss you, too." Nathan tried so hard to hold himself together. The glue he used to fill in his own holes was starting to come undone. But he had to be strong for Haley.

They stood in each other's embrace for what felt like decades. Nothing but the sliver of moonlight creeping through the kitchen window illuminated their swollen eyes.

Haley took a deep breath to calm her shaking nerves, "I'm sorry," she mumbled embarrassedly, wiping at her tear stained cheeks.

"Don't be," he gave her a hint of a soothing smile and she traced it with her own lips.

"I'm, uhm, seeing someone," she muttered weakly.

Any sign of a smile on Nathan's lips immediately died at Haley's confession. Betrayal punched his gut. What the hell did she mean she was seeing someone? They had only been broken up for less than ten days. She couldn't…

"Oh, God, no, no, no." Haley shook her head furiously at the sudden dejection seeping from his eyes, "That's not what I meant. Not at all." It wasn't until her words resounded through her own ears that she heard how badly that sounded. She didn't blame Nathan for assuming the worst.

"I meant I've been seeing a therapist about my insecurities. It's been helping, but I guess I just broke again."

Nathan released a breath of relief and hugged her again, "God, Hales, you nearly just gave me a heart attack."

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped from the back of her throat, "I'm sorry."

He dropped a quick kiss on her forehead, "It's okay. I'm glad you're seeing a therapist. I think it'll be good for you."

"I just thought you should know," she mumbled again. "I'm trying to be okay with it."

"It's okay not to be okay, Hales. You have every right to be angry, and upset. It's not fair. You'd make a great mom, someday. I see it when you're with Mads."

She shrugged softly, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Don't lose hope, Haley. Not yet. You can still be a mom. There're other options you should keep in mind."

"But what about you?" She fumbled with the zipper on his gray sweatshirt. "Will you really be okay with me not conceiving?"

Nathan's locked deeply upon her own, "As long as I have you, and as long as I have Maddie, I won't need anything else."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I love you, Haley James. And I want to be with you…"

"I'm sensing a 'but'," Haley sighed.

"…But," he stated pointedly, "If you don't love me anymore, then I understand."

At his painful words, she brought her hand up to his cheek and stroked his scruffy -sorry-but-sexy excuse for a beard and and licked her lips. "You don't ever have to worry about me not loving you, Nathan. That isn't the problem, trust me. The problem is that I can't trust you again yet. You took my biggest insecurity and used it against me. I want to forgive you, babe, I really do, but it's not that easy."

He squeezed her hand softly and nodded, "I understand. Is there anything I can do? Because I'll do it. I need you, Hales. These past week has been absolute Hell without you."

Some how, she mustered enough strength to grin. "I know the feeling."

"Seriously, though, Haley, I want to prove to you how sorry I am. I'll really do anything."

She raked her fingers through her hair, and blew out a breath. It was then that she made the startling discovery that was she still in her tattered pajamas.

As if sensing her thoughts, Nathan leaned down and kissed her cheek, "You're beautiful, Haley."

The skin on her cheeks flushed a deep red; ignited both by his words and lingering lips. "I, uhm," she tried to speak but her words fumbled over the mush her insides were turning into.

"I just need a little more time," she answered his previous question. "Maybe we can, uh, take things slowly and try to rebuild us."

Nathan's shoulders dropped subconsciously but he smiled reassuringly, "If that's what it takes, then that's what we'll do."

"Baby steps," Haley stated softly. "We'll get there, eventually. I just can't pick up where we left off."

He squeezed her hand again, "Okay. I get that. We can do this."

"Thank you," she whispered and returned his kiss with her lips against his cheek.

"I know I said it too many times, but I'll say it again. I really am sorry."

Her hands wandered up to his bicep and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know."

They shared a longing look before Haley cleared her throat, "Um, I should get going but I want to say goodnight to Maddie first."

Nathan nodded, "She'd like that. Oh, and Hales?"

"Yeah?" Haley turned to look up at him.

"Thanks again for finding her."

"It was my pleasure," she smiled before leaving the kitchen and finding her way towards Maddie's room. When she wandered up the stairs and into the frame of Maddie's door, she found the little girl fast asleep and smiled.

Haley then tiptoed closer to the bed and ran her fingers through Maddie's dark tangles of hair. "I love you, Madeline Scott," she whispered soothingly.

Maddie fidgeted slightly, "Love you more, Mama."

Haley froze, sure she was in a dream. Maddie's eyes were still closed. Maybe she had imagined it. Either way, she couldn't help but smile. A warmth flooded through her chest as she leaned down to press a kiss on Maddie's forehead.

The time on the clock caught Haley's eye and she knew she better head home. It was getting late.

As she turned to leave Maddie's room, Haley jumped slightly when she saw Nathan pressed to the door.

"Now you're the one about to give me heart attack," she laughed quietly, but was soon silenced by Nathan's lips attacking hers.

"You're her mother in every sense of the word," he breathed into her mouth. "I never want to take that away from you."

Haley was caught up in his taste that she barely heard what he was saying. She merely moaned and fell further into his embrace, "I know I said we'd take things slowly, but I need you right now, Nathan."

"Are you sure?" He pulled away from her and searched her sparkling eyes.

"Mhmm, I love you." She scratched lightly across his neck, earning a sensual growl from him.

Nathan gently grabbed her hand and pulled her across the hall into his room, locking the door behind them. Their hands wandered freely over each other's bodies, re-familiarizing themselves with the naked territories.

Haley gently fell back onto Nathan's bed, watching with half-lidded eyes as he pulled his shirt over his head. Unconsciously, she licked her lips.

Nathan hovered over Haley, pinning his arms on either side of her body and attached his lips to her neck while slowly sliding her out of the pajamas. When they were both barrier free, they reveled in the scorching heat their bodies fueled. As their gazes, lips, and bodies collided, the fire between them only burned hotter.

. . . . .

 **Sorry I suck at smut lol.**

 **So, I know Haley said they'd take things slowly, but I had this planned from the very beginning. I'm excited for the next few chapters, so stay tuned! Thanks for the reviews. xo**


	23. Chapter 23

The digital clock on Nathan's bedside table blinked 4:42 a.m- taunting Haley with cruel malice. She groaned lightly, torn between the thoughts mulling in her mind. After Maddie had called her 'Mama,' something stirred deep below the crevices of Haley's bones, shaking her very core. Caught up in the exploding emotions, she lost herself in Nathan's embrace.

Just one look into those icy blue eyes had her heart slipping. Everything she desperately tried clinging onto, snapped. It made her crazy.

For her whole life, Haley was the sensible one. Cautious, even- never one to just throw it all into the wind and float carelessly.

Her intuition always drowned out the sound of her screaming and unruly emotions. Then came Nathan. He waltzed into her classroom with that oh-so-sexy smirk of his, and she'd never been the same since. He all but carried her onto the wild side- and she let him!

She nearly lost her job because of their relationship, and she would have been okay with it. That thought alone would have unnerved a college-aged Haley. But a post-Nathan Haley would give it all up with just one kiss. And quite frankly, that scared the hell out of her.

It was too late to back out now. She was gone. Hook, line, and sinker. Nathan Scott seeped into her veins like a lethal and highly addictive drug. She'd never go sober now.

No matter how hard she tried, Haley James couldn't walk away. Still, as she lay underneath his covers, her body bare from endless rounds of their love making, she felt as if she had betrayed herself.

Last night she told him they needed to take things slowly; yet, here Haley was, nothing but a thin sheet covering her chest, staring at the clock, and next to an equally as naked Nathan.

She didn't mean to be so impetuous- a trait she was still flirting with unfamiliarly. She had no intentions of coming here last night and kissing the air out of his lungs. Hell, she had been in her own bed, a mere six hours ago. The whole night was just… unexpected, and that's an understatement.

Haley blew out a heavy breath through her nostrils and threw her arm haphazardly over the pillow. It was going to be a long night.

"Stop it." Nathan mumbled.

Haley turned her head and furrowed her eyebrow. His eyes were still closed.

"What?"

"Whatever you're worrying about, just stop."

She blinked softly, taking in the calming features of his face. "How do you know I'm worrying? You didn't even open your eyes."

His eyes were still shut tight, and his voice was a husky ember. "You think I need to see you with my eyes to know what's going on with you? What's on your mind?"

Haley sighed loudly again. "I just… I was thinking maybe I should go home."

Nathan's eyes finally snapped open and drained with worry. Sitting up slightly, he moved closer to Haley. "What? Why would you do that?"

"We both agreed to go slow and then I threw myself at you."

Nathan chuckled lightly, "So?"

"So, I just went back on everything I said last night."

His cocky smirk faltered, "Do you regret sleeping with me?"

She frowned, then gently cupped his cheek in her palm. "No, Nathan, I could never regret being with you. I love you, I do, it's just, last night I was so caught up and wasn't thinking clearly and I'm sorry if I confused you-,"

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I understand. I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to pressure you…"

"You didn't. I swear," Haley gave him a reassuring smile, "I'm just all over the place right now."

"Look," he began, holding out his arms for Haley to nestle into, "I know last night won't erase the things I said to you-I don't expect it to. I wanted you as much as you did. And I get you're still hurting, but please don't leave."

Her head pillowed on his chest, and she knew it that moment, it'd be just about impossible to get up now.

"I won't," she whispered.

"Good," he leaned down to press a soft kiss in her vanilla scented hair. "I'll try to be less irresistable from now on, so we can take things slow."

Haley playfully rolled her eyes, "Like that's even possible."

He chuckled again lowly, "So you admit, I'm irresistible."

She ran her finger absentmindedly over the plains of his bare chest

and smiled, "I guess you're not horrible to look at, and you are quite charming, Nathan Scott."

He smirked proudly, "I know."

Haley laughed, snuggling closer to him. The two of them settled into a comfortable silence until she spoke up again.

"Maddie called me 'Mama' tonight."

Nathan smiled as his fingers danced lazily over her bare back. "I know. I heard."

She raised her head off of his chest slightly, and looked into his eyes to gage his reaction. "How does that make you feel?"

A large smile broke over his lips, "Honestly? I'm the luckiest bastard alive. I've got a beautiful girlfriend and an amazing daughter who love each other more than I could have ever imagined."

He and Haley shared a mild, soft kiss, then Nathan continued talking, "You know, I never thought Maddie would ever have a mom, and I was okay with that. But then you showed up, and I think we all know this is where you belong. And one of these days, we're going to make it official."

Haley's brown eyes glazed in tears, then grew large. "What? What are you saying Nathan?"

"I'm saying…" he drawled softly, "that I want to marry you, Haley James. And when we get married, I want you to officially adopt Maddie. You're her mom."

Haley inhaled shakily, stretching her lungs until she couldn't breathe. "Nathan, I-..."

"Look, don't freak out. Okay?"

She sat up against the headboard, suddenly speechless. "But we just got back together, Nathan. I mean, for God's sakes, we're supposed to be taking things slow! We shouldn't be talking about getting married and, and-" her words trailed, and despite the smile on her lips, her voice drops, "...and talking about me adopting Maddie!"

Nathan chuckled, "Having sex four times last night isn't taking things slow. And if I remember correctly, you insisted that I go _faster_."

The comment earned him a nice whack on his bicep, but his smirk only widened.

Haley blushed furiously, "Stop it. You're totally embarrassing me, Nathan."

She felt like a teenager again; carefree and content. Haley felt her resolve fading, and quickly. As ridiculous as Nathan's 'proposal' was, she wasn't going to lie. She absolutely loved the idea of adopting Maddie and becoming Mrs. Scott.

He laughed and kissed her shoulder blade, then turned stone serious as he grabbed her hand and looked pointedly in her eyes. "I'm serious, Hales. I'd marry you right now if I could."

"I know," she whispered, giving in to her smile, "and I want that, too. I want nothing more than to be your wife and Maddie's mother, and one day I will. But not yet, Nathan. It's too soon."

A childish pout fell on his lips, causing Haley to giggle again. "Stop it," she chided, "I didn't say no. I'm saying one day, okay?"

He nodded then sealed the deal with another long kiss, "Okay. I love you. I need you to know how serious I am about you. About this. I'm not going anywhere."

She wrapped her arms around his body again and smiled contently, "I know. I know you're serious. But you don't have to worry either. I'm not leaving again."


	24. Chapter 24

**So, unfortunately, I head back to school tomorrow (ugh) so my updates are going to become a lot less frequent. I apologize in advance.**

 **I've got a heavy course load and I'll be starting an internship so I don't think I'll be able to update as much as I have been able to. There's only about five chapters left in this story anyway, so please know I am not abandoning it if you don't see an update for a few weeks. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I will do my absolute best and try my hardest to update once a week but no promises. I really don't know how hard my classes are going to be but I can only guess it's going to be a lot. Still, I love this story and I love your reviews so I'm going to use every ounce of free time to write. I thank you for your patience ahead of time. Thanks a million. X**

* * *

Nearly two months had passed since Nathan and Haley's brief 'hiatus,' and as the days turned into distant memories, so did their argument. If anything, their 'break-up' made the couple that much stronger. Of course, it wasn't an instantaneous 'fairytale' - they still had minor hiccups to breathe through - but, for the most part, it was almost as if they never fought in the first place. And as of now, they'd never been happier; especially Maddie.

Maddie, as expected, was absolutely over the moon when Nathan and Haley had told her they'd gotten back together. She barely left Haley's side, and insisted that she sleep next to her in bed. Nathan would have found it cute, but in all honesty, he missed his post-coital cuddles with Haley. He wasn't going to complain though- not when he had everything he ever wanted all rolled under one sheet.

Maddie had to untangle herself today, though, because she and Nathan had agreed to a Daddy-Daughter day while Haley decided to spend the day with Brooke for a much-needed girl-talk.

"Alright, little-bear, finish those fries so we can start shopping," Nathan said with a smile as he sat across from his daughter at Karen's Café

Maddie bounced in her seat, contently munching on her french fries. "What're we gonna buy?"

Nathan sat back in his chair, grinning, "Well, it's Haley's birthday soon so I was hoping you'd help me pick out her gift. What do you think?"

"Yes, yes!" She clamored.

He chuckled, "I mean what do you think we should get her? Do you have any ideas?"

Maddie pursed her lips, pretending to think about it. "Uhm, a puppy."

"I think _you_ want a puppy."

She giggled, "Haley does too!"

Nathan feigned a heavy sigh, "Oh man. I'm already outnumbered."

Another giggle emit from Maddie's lips, "Daddy, you're silly."

"Any other ideas, kid?"

Maddie shrugged, "I dunno, you're her boyfriend!"

Nathan laughed, "Yeah, well you're her favorite." He countered playfully. He knew Haley never would actually be able to choose between the two, nor could he, but he liked teasing Maddie that she liked Haley more than him.

"That's not true, Dad," Maddie drawled out sophisticatedly. "Haley loves us equal, just like I love you both equal."

He simply smiled, taking in Maddie's infectious giggles. She had gotten so big, so fast. Soon she'd be seven, and before he knew it, Nathan would be sending her to college. Time really does fly. Maddie's smile matched her father's, save her two front teeth. Last night, she lost her left tooth after biting into an apple Haley cut for her. She screamed when she tasted blood, causing Haley to swiftly turn with concern, only for it to dissipate seconds later when Maddie smiled, now toothless.

Nathan remembered watching from the door, awestruck. The way Haley tended to Maddie never failed to make him breathless. He already loved her with every fiber of his being, but in that moment, he fell in love with her all over again. He loved that she pulled Maddie in a motherly embrace, cooing about how the tooth fairy would come later that night. He loved how Haley immediately pulled out her phone to snap pictures - just like any other mother would do. He knew in that moment, he couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to marry Haley James.

Nathan's carefree smile slowly transformed into a serious slant, "Maddie, I need to talk to you about something."

Slurping on her straw, the little girl simply nodded.

"Do you want Haley to be your Mom?"

Maddie's bright blue eyes fell bashfully, staring at a tainted stain on the plastic table.

"Hey," Nathan spoke softly, reaching out to grab her tiny hand, "it's okay if you do. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

He watched her eyes find his, smirking when her dimples came from hiding. "I want her to be my mom more than anything in the world," she whispered sullenly.

Nathan tried his best not to let his tears show, "Well, how would you feel if I asked Haley to marry me, Maddie?"

Her bright blue eyes exploded into a Supernova of pure bliss, "Can you, oh can you please?"

He laughed softly, "I'm planning on it, kiddo, but I need your help picking out a ring."

"Something big and sparkly, Daddy!" Maddie encouraged with an even larger smile. She couldn't wait for Haley to be married to her Daddy so they'd be a real family.

Before Nathan had a chance to even answer, Maddie fired countless questions. "When you marry Haley will she be a Scott, too? And does that mean she'll be my Mom now? Oh! And can I be the flower girl and wear a pretty dress?-"

"Whoa, whoa," Nathan chuckled, "Slow down, Mads. Yes, if Haley and I get married, she'll have the same last name as us, but it doesn't mean she can be your mom right away. We'll have to fill out a lot of paperwork so she can adopt you, kiddo."

Maddie pouted, "But I want her to be my mom right now."  
"First I have to ask her to marry me, but you can't tell her yet because it's a secret and we need a ring."

"Okay, Daddy. My lips are sealed!" She made pretend her lips were a zipper and moved her thumb over her mouth to 'zip' it closed.

Nathan laughed with amusement, then stood up to lift Maddie into his arms so he could carry her. After throwing away their lunch scraps, the Daddy-Daughter-Duo, walked out onto Front and Grace Street. After a week-long rainstorm, the sun finally made its presence known again. In fact, it was an abnormally warm day for April in North Carolina, so both Nathan and Maddie decided to enjoy it, and walked along the town strip of stores. If he remembered correctly, there was a small jewelry store just up the block. Maddie climbed her way onto his back and reveled in the short trek.

Janson's Jewels was run by a local elderly couple, and Nathan knew it'd be the perfect place to find his future wife a diamond. When he and Maddie strolled inside, they were instantly greeted by a warm smile belonging to who he guessed was Mrs. Janson.

"Hi, dear. What can I do for you today?"

Nathan grinned excitedly but Maddie answered before he could even open his mouth, "We need to buy a-a e...en...gaged..mented ring," she squealed, even though she struggled to say the word 'engagement.'

"I'm going to propose to my girlfriend, so we want to check out some engagement rings." Nathan corrected with a bigger grin.

"She's gonna be my Mommy!" Maddie couldn't help but add cheekily.

Mrs. Janson laughed sweetly, "Isn't she a lucky girl?"

Nathan smiled dopily, "Nah. I'm the lucky one.- Well, as long as she says 'yes.'"

"She will, Daddy. I know she will!" Maddie squeezed his shoulders.

"She will," Mrs. Janson repeated, attempting to calm a now nervous Nathan. She and her husband, Martin Janson, have run their jewelry store for over forty years and could always tell when young men were planning to propose based on their nervous admiration of the diamond rings. It warmed her heart. "Come on, I'll show you some rings we just got in."

Nathan carried Maddie over to the display shelf and felt a little overwhelmed by the vast assortment of engagement rings. He had no idea what was even considered 'in'. Dammit, he knew he should have talked to Brooke first, but knowing her, she would have spilled the beans.

There were round diamonds, oval diamonds, square diamonds, medium diamonds, small, diamonds, and large diamonds. He blew out a heavy breath.

"That one is so pretty, Daddy!" Maddie pointed on top of the glass to a large sized, circle shaped diamond, edged with much smaller diamonds on the outside. It really was beautiful, but Nathan didn't think it was 'the one.' It was a little too flashy for Haley's taste.

"Can we see something similar to this but maybe a little smaller?" Nathan wasn't going to be cheap, that's for sure. But he also didn't want to buy anything too ornate. Haley was simple and elegant, and that's what he wanted in a ring.

Mrs. Janson agreed and brought out a much smaller collection. Nathan's eyes were instantly attracted to two, equally gorgeous rings. Both resembled the shape of a raindrop, and the diamond was the perfect size; not too big, but not too small. The diamond raindrop shapes sparkled under the light, looking like the epitome of elegance. The two rings looked so similar, but the only thing setting them apart were the bands; one was plain platinum and had two tiny diamonds next to the larger diamond, but the other was entirely encrusted with smaller diamonds on the band.

Nathan pointed to the two. "Which one, Maddie?"

She didn't hesitate. Maddie pointed to the one with the diamond band, "Definitely this one! Haley will love it."

"You're right," Nathan beamed, "that's Haley's ring."

* * *

Unbeknownst to Nathan and Maddie, Haley, Brooke, and Peyton were having lunch right across the street at Black Sea Grill. It turned out, Brooke and Peyton met at a community charity event and became quick friends. When Haley found that out, she suggested the three of them go out to lunch. Luckily, they were seated at a booth and had no way of seeing Nathan inside of the jewelry store.

Haley nibbled on a piece of bread as she tried listening to Brooke's story about one of her recent, horrible dates. It was growing to be an increasingly difficult task, as Haley's head pounded like a hammer to a nail.

"Are you alright, Haley?" Brooke asked.

Haley snapped from her thoughts and mustered a smile, "Yeah, my head has just been hurting."

"Are you sick?" Peyton worried.

"No, I think I'm just tired."

"Late night?" Brooke smirked, causing Haley to blush.

"You can say that," Haley bit her lip, remembering how she snuck into Nathan's bed after Maddie had fallen asleep, and all but pounced on him.

"Damn, Hales!" Peyton laughed, ribbing her new friend in the shoulder, "Didn't know you had it in ya."

Her blush intensified.

"I'll bet Nathan knows," Brooke quirked her eyebrow, smirking at Haley.

Haley hid her red cheeks behind the palms of her hands, "You guys suck."

"Speaking of Nate, are you guys living together or what?" Peyton asked with a prodding smile, "Lucas said something along those lines."

"Yeah, what's up with that, Hales? You're never at the apartment anymore," Brooke added.

Haley smiled, shrugging simply, "I mean, I didn't officially move in or anything but I guess… we're kind of living together." She never actually thought about it. She just seemed to always be with Nathan and Maddie; there was no where else she wanted to be. Slowly, her stuff started appearing all around their four-bedroom, three bathroom house. So, maybe her friends were right. They were officially, unofficially living together.

"Eeek!" Brooke squealed so loudly, other restaurant guests turned to look. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, but this is so exciting!"

Haley couldn't help but smile, "I've never been happier than I am right now. I just, I completely love Nathan and Maddie with my whole heart."

"You look happy, Hales." Brooke pointed out, "I've never seen you like this."

Peyton nodded, "You look like you're glowing!"

"I'm just… happy," the smile on Haley's lips said it all. Another pang rippled through her head, and her content smile turned into a wince. "Actually, I'd be a hell of a lot better if this stupid headache went away!"

Six-month pregnant Peyton groaned in sympathy, "When I first got pregnant with this one, I had the worst migraines!"

Haley normally would have slumped, but her therapist was helping- a lot. She no longer felt saddened by seeing pregnant women. She was truly coming to terms with the fact she couldn't conceive.

Haley rubbed her head and sighed. She hoped she wasn't getting sick… although, her stomach had been hurting a lot the past few days. And the smell of the egg sandwich Brooke ordered was starting to make her extremely nauseous.

"Maybe I am sick," she concluded outloud.

Peyton noticed the green hue of Haley's skin and nudged her again, "Hey, maybe you're pregnant!"

This time, Haley did slump. She wasn't pregnant. She was never going to get pregnant. She knew that, but Peyton didn't. It still hurt, no matter how much therapy was helping, the reminders were never going to go away.

"Trust me," Haley mumbled, "that's not it."

Brooke knew. Secretly, she reached her hand across the table and squeezed Haley's hand gently. Haley's gaze found Brooke's and she smiled appreciatively.

"I mean, you and Nathan do have a lot of sex," Peyton drawled jovially. When neither Haley nor Brooke cracked a smile, she grew confused. "What's wrong? Did I say something stupid?"

"No," Haley smiled weakly, "You didn't do anything wrong, Peyt, but you should probably know I can't,- um,- I can't have children."

Peyton's hand covered her mouth in shock, "Oh, God. Haley, I'm so, so, sorry-"

"It's okay. You didn't know."

Peyton shook her head, "I'm an idiot. I feel so stupid."

"Don't," Haley restered her free hand on Peyton's knee. "It's really okay. I've been talking to a therapist, and I'm okay. Just, please don't feel sorry for me."

The curly blonde nodded softly, "Uhm, does Nathan know?"

"He does," Haley answered, "And he's okay with it, too."

Peyton covered Haley's hand with hers and they shared a smile. "Good. I'm glad."

"Hales," Brooke piped up, "if you're sick though, maybe you should go see a doctor."

Haley shook her head, "No, I'm fine. Honestly, Maddie was sick with the stomach bug last week. I think I probably picked it up."

"Still, I can take you if you want."

"Yeah, go," Peyton encouraged. "You two go. I got the check."

"Oh, Peyton, I couldn't-" Haley protested.

"Don't worry about it, chica. Really, I got it."

Haley and Brooke smiled gratefully, "Thank you."

Brooke then led Haley outside, "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, about the whole not-having-kids thing?"

Haley met Brooke's eyes, "You know what? I am. I've got Nathan, and I've got Maddie, and that's all I need."

Brooke smiled, "I'm happy for you, Haley."

As they walked closer to where Brooke's car was parked, Haley turned sharply. "Maddie! Nathan!" She called out. Across the street, she watched as Nathan carried a beaming Maddie on his shoulders. Hearing their names, Nathan turned and smiled. He saw Haley in front of Brooke's car.

He first checked the street to make sure it was clear, then walked over to his girlfriend. "Hey baby!"

They leaned in for a quick kiss, and Haley almost felt completely better. "Hey you two. What trouble have you found today?"

Nathan cleared his throat, remembering that he was carrying her newly purchased engagement ring in the bag. "Uh, you know, just uh-"

"Daddy bought me these new earrings!" Maddie squealed, trying to help out her flustered father. She pushed her braided hair aside and showed Haley.

Haley's smile matched Maddie's, "They look great, Mads. So pretty."

"Thanks!"

Just then, Brooke made her way over to Haley and laughed, "Hey Nate! What, are you like, stalking us?"

"Nah, Maddie and I were just shopping around."

Brooke eyed the 'Janson Jewels' bag and smirked knowingly, then mouthed the word 'nice' to him. Nathan nodded curtly.

"You know," Brooke spoke, "I don't believe I've ever met you, Maddie. I'm Brooke Davis, Haley's friend."

Maddie made a move to climb off of Nathan's shoulders so she could better greet Brooke. "You own Clothes Over Bro's!" Maddie eagerly recalled, "Haley wears your dresses all the time! They're so cute!"

"Oh my God, kid, I love you already!" Brooke pulled Maddie in for a tight hug.

"Watch it, Davis," Haley quipped, "I'm supposed to be her favorite."

Maddie looked over Brooke's shoulders and giggled, "Don't worry, Hales, you'll always be my favorite."

"Hey!" Nathan playfully pouted, crossing his arms over his chest angrily, "I thought I was the favorite."

Maddie stuck her tongue out and laughed, "Oh, Daddy!"

Brooke -who was still hunched over- laughed next to Maddie. "Seriously, you're adorable!"

"Thank you," Maddie grinned.

"How was lunch?" Nathan asked, his arm still around Haley.

"Actually, we left early. I wasn't feeling well…"

"What?" His eyes widened, "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Haley rolled her eyes, "I'm fine. It's just a little stomach bug. It'll pass. I think I'm just gonna go home and rest for a little bit."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Nathan asked. "I'll take you to the doctor."

She shook her head, "No, no. Don't worry about it. You finish your day with Maddie."

Nathan looked concerningly into her eyes, "You're sure? I still think you should go to the doctor."

Before Haley could protest, Brooke offered. "I'll take her."

"Brooke-"

"Thanks, I owe you, Davis." Nathan smiled.

"Just let me have your kid."

"Not a chance in hell," Nathan teased, "but you can babysit her whenever."

"I'll take you up on that," Brooke laughed raspily. "Come on, tutor girl, let's get you checked out."

"Do I even have a say?" She huffed.

"Come on, I'm worried about you, babe." Nathan frowned.

"I know," her tight frown loosened into a comfortable smile, "and I love you for it."

"I love you, too. I'll see you later."

"Okay, bye baby. Bye, Maddie."

"Bye, Haley! Feel better!"

"Thanks," Haley waved, kissed both their cheeks, then got into the passenger seat of Brooke's BMW. She watched in the rearview as Nathan and Maddie parted from Brooke, silently wishing she was with them; where she belonged.

* * *

 **What will the doctor say? ;)**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey! I'm back! Sorry for the wait. It's been a hectic few days, but I finally made time to write this out. I was so excited to post. I'll admit I'm not 100% thrilled with how I wrote it, but I'm excited to see what y'all think.**

 **Unfortunately my schedule is about to get even more busy but I'm going to try to get another update out by Sunday, and hopefully update once a week. Thanks for your patience and support. Also, huge shoutout to Mel who inspired a bit of this.**

. . . . . . . . . .

Maddie's eager smile refused to leave her lips the entire day; even when Billy McDermont stole her chicken nugget at lunch time, her beaming grin did not falter. She was excited — today was Haley's birthday, and Nathan and Maddie had devised an elaborate plan in order to surprise her. As they ate the special breakfast that Nathan had prepared for Haley this morning, Maddie found it almost impossible to keep quiet. Nathan was thankful when she kept quiet, although, he was sure Haley's suspicions were stirring from the size of Maddie's smile.

He, too, was eager to give Haley her birthday surprise, but a part of him was worried. For the past week, Haley had been exceptionally quiet. He found her staring off into space, a dazed look glazing over her brown eyes. When he asked her about it, she shrugged, insisting she was fine, but he knew better. Something was up with her, and Nathan was going to find out what it was. But for now, he and Maddie had a surprise to work through. He just hoped everything went accordingly.

Eager to help her Daddy with the surprise, Maddie walked into Haley's classroom at the end of the day and found her at her desk, flipping through her lesson plans.

Sensing a presence in the room, Haley turned and smiled, "Hey Sunshine. What's up?"

Maddie flashed her prominent dimples at her former teacher, "Nuthin', just waiting for Daddy to pick me up. He said he was gonna be late today and that I should wait with you if that's okay."

Haley reached down and lifted Maddie onto her lap, pressing a soft kiss against her temple, "it's always okay, Mads. But if you want, I can call your Dad and tell him I'll take you home with me-"

"No!" Maddie interrupted quickly, "I mean, that's okay. Daddy said you had a lot of work to do."

She shrugged, and laughed softly, "I can always do it tomorrow."

Maddie smiled appealingly, "Do you think you can take me to the school library then? I wanna get a new book!"

With one look into Maddie's glittering blue eyes, Haley was a goner. "Sure, let me just put this away."

"Thanks!" Maddie hopped off of Haley's lap and waited patiently by the door. She knew she had to keep Haley out of the classroom for as long as possible.

"Alright kiddo, let's go find you a new book," Haley announced as she slid her fingers through Maddie's tiny hand. Together, they walked through the now empty halls and found the library, all while Nathan snuck into the classroom to set up for Haley's surprise.

As they wandered through the isles of bookshelves, both Maddie and Haley lost track of time. Maddie wanted to find the 'perfect' book — a daunting task, as she nearly chose every book in the library to flip through. Haley didn't mind though. She took great pleasure watching Maddie discover the joy of reading. It was only when her eye caught the tail end of the clock that Haley realized how late it had gotten. Surely Nathan had to have been there by now.

"Come on Maddie, we better get back, otherwise Daddy won't be able to find us."

After spending almost 30 minutes picking through books, Maddie grabbed a random one and gave Haley a satisfied smile. "Okay."

Haley laughed quietly, "Is that the book you want? You haven't even looked at the cover."

With once quick glance, Maddie shrugged, "This is good."

Haley smiled amusingly, then helped Maddie check the book out at the front desk. Once finished, they found their way back to the classroom, where the door was wide open.

"Hm, that's weird. I thought I closed this," Haley thought aloud, but gasped at the end of the sentence.

Inside, Nathan was standing in the center of the room, surrounded by at least 30 purple balloons, and flower petals were scattered in a circle. The lights were turned off, and instead, the only light in the room came from the two dozen candles placed on tops of the desks, as well as the strand of Christmas lights illuminating around the chalkboard.

"What is all this?" She asked, tears stabbing her eyes.

Nathan smirked, "Happy birthday, Hales."

"Happy birthday!" Maddie's tiny voice squealed like an echo.

Haley didn't know where to look. Her eyes first fell on Nathan's beaming face, and she felt her heart start to race. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Nice work, Mads," Nathan grinned towards his daughter who looked as if she had just been crowned Queen. She was bouncing up and down on the tips of her toes— one would think it was her birthday.

Haley, whose hand was still intertwined with Maddie's, turned in shock, "You knew about this?"

"Mhmm," she nodded proudly, "Daddy said I had to distract you so he could set it up."

She laughed and leaned down to hug her, "you did a good job, Mads. I love you, sweetie."

"I love you, too."

Nathan watched their embrace and felt his own heart starting to pound like a sledgehammer against concrete. He was sure his heart would burst through the walls of his chest any second.

Haley's eyes found his again and they shared a secret smile. After hugging Maddie, she walked further into the classroom and greeted Nathan with a sensual kiss. "Hi."

"Hi, beautiful," he whispered.

Her arms wrapped around his torso as she snuggled her head into his chest, "I love you, Nathan Scott."

"Good," he chuckled, "I love you, too, baby. More than you'll ever know."

They kissed, softly this time, in the center of the classroom, as Maddie watched on dreamily.

Pulling apart, Haley rested her hands on Nathan's cheeks and grinned, "this is a great birthday."

"Well, it's about to get better," Nathan promised. "Turn around so I can give you your gift-,"

"What?" She protested, "Nathan, you didn't have to get me anything!"

He shook his head, and chuckled, "Too bad, I already did. Now turn around, you goof."

Haley giggled excitedly and did as he said. She turned so she was now facing her desk, but her eyes settled on a piece of paper on the floor in front of her. As the compulsive neat-freak that she was, she bent down to pick it up.

Flipping it over, she gasped again when she read the words scribbled in Nathan's tiny, messy handwriting, " _you have a serious ass, Haley James_."

"Nathan!" She laughed and as she turned around, she expected to find Nathan's eyes fixated on said body part, but instead, nearly fell over when she found Nathan down on one knee, holding out a diamond ring.

Next to him, Maddie was jumping up and down.

"Hales," Nathan started, inhaling a shaky breath, and blinked back the tears veiling over his eyes. "When I walked into this classroom for the first time and saw you, I forgot how to breathe. Hell, I still find it nearly impossible to breathe when I'm around you. You're my everything and I don't ever want to lose you, baby. There's nothing Maddie and I want more than to spend the rest of our lives with you. So what do you say, Haley James? Marry me?" The hope in his eyes seeped into his giddy smile as he held up the engagement ring.

"Say yes!" Maddie squealed in the background, watching expectantly.

Haley audibly gasped and didn't even try to hide her hot tears. She looked at Nathan's own teary eyes and bit her lip to keep the smile from bursting on her lips.

"I— I'm pregnant."

It was Nathan who nearly fell over this time. His eyes widened suddenly, struck with pure shock. "I …. but…. you…. what?" He was rendered speechless.

Haley released her lip from between her teeth and let the smile seize her lips. She had to grab onto Nathan's shoulders to keep from fainting. "I'm pregnant," she announced out loud for the first time since the doctor told her the news.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 _"What seems to be the problem, Ms. James?" Dr. Asher, an elderly, white-haired man, with a friendly smile, asked._

 _Haley sighed softly, "I'm probably wasting your time, but my boyfriend insisted I get a check-up, but I think I just have a stomach bug. I've been incredibly nauseous and have had really bad headaches."_

 _Dr. Asher rubbed his chin and nodded, "Hm, that sounds like a bug, but for good measure, I'll run a few tests."_

 _"Thanks."_

 _She sat patiently and let Dr. Asher take her blood pressure, temperature, and a myriad of other small tests._

 _Several minutes later, the doctor scribbled a few notes onto a form, "Everything's looking good. How long have you had these symptoms?"_

 _"Uhm, I guess five or six days. The nausea comes and goes though."_

 _Dr. Asher nodded, "And when was your last period?"_

 _Haley opened her mouth to answer confidently, but then remembered she skipped the last month. "Oh, uh, I guess February."_

 _He nodded again, "And you're sexually active?"_

 _"Yes, but I don't see how that has anything to do with it."_

 _He smiled softly, "Have you taken a pregnancy test?"_

 _Haley shook her head, "No, that wouldn't be necessary."_

 _"And why not?"_

 _"Because I'm not pregnant," she answered assertively._

 _Dr. Asher laughed softly, rubbing his hands together, "Are you sure about that?"_

 _She wanted to roll her eyes, "Yes. With all due respect, Doctor, you were the one who told me I wouldn't be able to have children."_

 _He looked at her again and smiled— his childlike grin was starting to piss her off. "Have you been using contraceptives?"_

 _"No. I don't have to. Like you said, I can't have children."_

 _"I said it was highly unlikely for you to conceive, but not completely impossible. We don't usually tell patients there's still a chance because it's so slim, but it has happened before. There's a small possibility you could be pregnant, Haley."_

 _"No," she said again, refusing to believe it even for a second, "there's no way that's possible."_

 _"Biology would argue otherwise," Dr. Asher let out a brief chuckle, but Haley was not amused. Quite frankly, she couldn't understand how a doctor could be so damn incompetent._

 _"Look, I probably just have a stomach bug."_

 _"Can I just run one more test?"_

 _Haley sighed, "Fine, but you'll be wasting your time."_

 _"We'll see," Dr. Asher smiled placatingly before leaving the room for a second. When he returned, he gave Haley a cup. "Can you please urinate in this? I'll be able to run a quick test to see your Ph balance."_

 _Haley sighed again, and mumbled, "Okay."_

 _It was stupid. She wasn't going to let herself be hopeful. She wasn't pregnant._

 _After peeing in the cup, Haley gave it back to the doctor and waited while he tested it. She couldn't wait to just go home and sleep, and hopefully by tomorrow her stomach bug would be gone._

 _"Congratulations, Haley. You're pregnant!"_

 _Haley swallowed and discreetly pinched herself— sure she was dreaming._

 _"Ouch!"_

 _Dr. Asher gave her a funny look, "What?"_

 _"Nothing," she shook her head, "but, I can't be pregnant."_

 _He laughed again and gave her a quick explanation about the pH test. "I know you were told otherwise, but I promise you Haley, this test does not lie. You're really pregnant."_

 _Instantly, her tears flooded with a pool of tears. She shook her head in disbelief, "are—are you sure?"_

 _"One-hundred percent. You'll need to schedule an appointment with your gynecologist as soon as possible, but I can assure you that you're pregnant. I wouldn't tell you otherwise."_

 _"Oh my God," she whispered, then choked out a loud sob. For most of her life, she believed this day would never be possible. It was hard for her to grasp the reality of it, let alone believe she and Nathan would have a baby._

 _"But, but,—" she choked on her own heaving breaths, "do you think I can make it to full term?"_

 _"There's no reason why you wouldn't. Of course, your OBGYN will be able to assist you better, but now that you've accomplished the most difficult task, you're completely healthy enough to go full term. I wouldn't worry too much, Haley. This is a happy time!"_

 _She desperately wanted to revel in this moment, but fear was her biggest obstacle. What if something happened? She'd never be able to live with that. No matter how much the doctor reassured her, she simply couldn't believe it. There was no way she could tell Nathan yet. Haley heard horror stories all the time; a couple would be expecting, get the baby's room all ready, and then the next day, the woman would have a miscarriage._

 _"Oh my God," she repeated again and put her hands over her flat stomach. Was she really carrying Nathan's child and Maddie's sibling? She sobbed happily. She wanted this more than anything in the world and it was finally happening._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Oh my God," Nathan finally whispered. His blurry eyes searched her own teary brown orbs and their bursting smiles mirrored each other. "Ar-are you sure?"

She nodded excitedly, "the doctor told me."

"Oh my God," he repeated again, "God, I love you so much!" He jumped up and pulled her in for a fiery kiss.

Haley clung onto Nathan for dear life. She didn't mean to just blurt it out, but she was so happy, she couldn't hold it in any longer. She was waiting to tell him at the right time, but this seemed all too perfect.

"Yes," she whispered into his mouth after finally coming up for air.

Nathan looked into her eyes curiously, "what?"

"Yes, I'll marry you, Nathan. I want to be your wife." She continued to sob, smiling through it all.

Nathan cut her off with another kiss. "You just made me the happiest guy alive, Haley James." He brought her hands onto her stomach, then gently slid the ring on her left ring finger. "I can't believe it."

"Neither could I," she giggled, "but it's real. We're having a baby!"

Maddie, who watched on with her own happy tears, couldn't hold it in any longer. She wrapped her arms around both Nathan and Haley's waist and cried into their shirts. "I'm finally gonna have a Mommy and be a big sister!"

Nathan leaned down and kissed Maddie's cheek, wiping her tears away, "why are you crying, little bear?"

"I'm just so happy, Daddy."

Nathan pulled her into his chest, "me too."

Haley wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and began to admire her new ring, "Nathan, this ring is perfect."

"I can't take all the credit," he grinned, "Mads helped me pick it out."

Haley's eyes fell onto Maddie, who looked just like her proud father, "it's beautiful. Thank you, Maddie."

Maddie threw herself into Haley's arms. "You're really having a baby?"

"Yep," she couldn't help but cry again. This was everything she dreamed about and more.

"And you'll marry, Daddy?"

Haley laughed, "Yes, I'm gonna marry your Daddy."

"And you can be my Mom?"

Haley reached her hand out and cupped Maddie's red cheek, "It'd be an absolute honor to be your Mom, Madeline Scott."

Maddie cried, bursting with joy, "this is the best day of my life."

"Mine too," Nathan agreed. "I'm marrying my best friend and I get to be a Dad again."

Haley found herself back in his arms, never wanting to let go. "Thank you," she whispered breathlessly before kissing him softly.

"For what?"

"For giving me something I never thought I'd have."

His lips danced delicately over hers, "what's that?"

"A family."


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey. Sorry for the wait; school is getting increasingly busier. I'm not too happy with the way this chapter came out but I owed you an update and today was the only free time I'll have. Anyways, thanks for your patience and unbelievably kind comments.**

. . .

Haley watched with an amused smile as Nathan's leg bounced erratically against the waiting room's floor. Today was their first official appointment with her obstetrician, and to say he was nervous was an absolute understatement. His nerves jumbled into a massive coil, like a tangled wire, ready to ignite. The poor guy looked like he was ready to puke any second.

"Baby, relax," Haley whispered, and placed her hand on his shaking knee.

"Sorry," he looked embarrassed as he blew out a heavy breath. "I guess I'm just nervous."

"It's okay," her hand that was on his knee moved to his palm and interlocked their fingers together.

"You're not nervous?"

Haley shook her head slightly, "No. Well, I am a little, but I have you, and I know everything's going to be okay. I feel it."  
A gentle smile graced his lips as he leant down and kissed her. "I love you, my beautiful fiancé."

She sighed blissfully, as her eyes fell on her newest obsession; her engagement ring. Sometimes she'd just stop whatever she was doing and admire the beautiful ring. "I love you, too. Thank you for being here."

Nathan grinned, "There's no other placed I'd rather be. You know, I never got to go through the whole pregnancy thing with Maddie, and I feel kinda bad. So I'll be by your side every step of the way, Hales. If you have craving's in the middle of the night, I'll go out and get something. Whatever it is. I'll be here for every doctor's appointment. We're in this together."

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes and she bit her lip. Damn pregnancy hormones. Still she reveled in every newfound feeling. While most women would complain about morning sickness, Haley smiled throughout it all. It was a sign she was growing another life in her— a life that she and Nathan created.

She squeezed his hand, "that means everything, Nathan Scott."

"Maddie was pretty bummed she couldn't come."

As much as she wanted to, Nathan and Haley knew it'd be best if she sat the first appointment out. Plus, the meeting was in the middle of the day on a Tuesday; while Nathan and Haley were able to take off from work, Maddie had to go to school.

Haley smiled, "I know. Next time. I don't want her missing too much school. Plus, today is really just preliminary stuff. It's not like we'll be able to see much. The baby is still, like, the size of a pea."

Nathan chuckled and looked into her brown eyes with pure amazement, "How do you know that?"

She shrugged, "I read it."

"Can I?"

Haley giggled, "of course you can. I'm sure Maddie's going to want to read it too. Maybe we can find a book for children explaining the growth process?"

"That's a good idea. She'd love that, Hales."

Haley smiled proudly, "I can't wait to be your wife, and a mom."

"I can't wait either," Nathan said, then kissed her gently again. Seconds later, they were interrupted by the nurse calling their name.

"Mr. and Mrs. Scott?"

Haley stood up with a giddy smile, too excited by her future last name to correct the young nurse. Nathan's hand never left hers as they followed the nurse into the room filled with pictures of fetuses and pregnancy terms. It was almost overwhelming.

She watched with pure adoration as Nathan took in each poster on the wall, grinning like a child on Christmas morning with a pile of presents awaiting him.

"Dr. Perry will be with you shortly," the nurse smiled at the couple who merely nodded in response.

"You okay?" Nathan asked as he helped Haley onto the patient's chair.

"Yeah," she said softly, trading a loving smile with him. "Never been better."

"Good." He kissed her forehead.

Dr. Perry soon appeared with a beaming smile. "Haley, congratulations. I'm absolutely thrilled for you."

Haley looked at her obstetrician and mirrored her grin, "Thank you, Dr. Perry. This is my fiancé, Nathan Scott."

Dr. Perry, a middle-aged woman with short auburn hair, stuck out her hand for Nathan to shake. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You too."

"So," Dr. Perry began with a small clap of her hands, "we have a little miracle here, huh?"

Haley and Nathan giggled, turning so that they could look into each other's eyes.

"Yeah, it was definitely unexpected, but we couldn't be happier."

Nathan nodded in agreement, "everything's going to be okay, right?"

Dr. Perry smiled at the obvious worry between his eyes, "I have every reason to believe so. But because of Haley's medical history, we'll just be a little bit more cautious. I'll be sure to answer any questions you might have and hopefully quell any worries today."

Haley smiled gratefully, "thank you."

"Alright, are you ready to listen to your baby's heartbeat?"

Nathan nodded vehemently, "definitely. Can we possibly take home a sonogram picture today, too?"

Dr. Perry and Haley laughed at his child-like eagerness. "I don't see why not."

Haley's grip on Nathan tightened when she felt Dr. Perry press the sonogram to her still flat stomach. She read in the pregnancy book it could be up until 5 months that she starts showing, and she honestly couldn't wait.

"Sorry. It might be a little cold," Dr. Perry said, probing the gel on Haley's stomach. She flinched slightly, but remained smiling.

The sound of a strong heartbeat swished through the air, and Haley burst into a fit of sobs.

"Is that… is that our baby?" Nathan choked, his words trailing as he too, was on the verge of sobbing.

Dr. Perry stared at the screen scrutinizingly and remained silent.

Nathan and Haley suddenly became rigid with pure worry. "Is everything alright?"

The doctor moved the probe slightly and shook her head in pure disbelief. "Yes, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you, it's just—,"

"What is it?" Nathan asked, starting to break out into a sweat.

Dr. Perry let out a small laugh, "it looks like you have two miracles."

Haley's brown eyes grew wide, "what?"

"It's twins!"

"Oh my God," Haley breathed, hastily turning to look at Nathan, who was already staring at her with sheer shock.

"Twins! Hales, twins!" He rejoiced excitedly, nearly jumping from the chair to kiss her. Their smiling lips danced against each other, laughing breathlessly.

"Oh my God," Haley repeated. The sound of two strong heartbeats echoed loudly, a near-tangible reminder of the lives they created from their love.

"A-are you sure?" She asked the doctor, almost insecurely.

"I can't believe it myself, but yes, you're having twins. If you look here, there's one baby," she pointed to the screen, and just barely could they make out a pea-sized fetus. "And there's baby number two." The second fetus was slightly bigger but hid behind the other fetus.

Nathan didn't even try to hide his tears, "wow. I can't believe this."

Haley giggled through her own happy tears, clinging onto Nathan for dear life. This moment was unbelievable as it was, and she wanted to take in every second, and paint it into a vivid picture to forever reside in her memory. They weren't just having one baby, but two babies! There really was no other term but 'miracle.'

"How— how is that possible?" Haley was almost in denial.

"I guess I'm just one fertile bastard," Nathan quipped with a cocky smirk, earning a loud cackle from his fiancé.

"That's certainly one way of putting it," Dr. Perry laughed. "Honestly, Haley, I don't have an explanation for this. It's so rare that you even got pregnant in the first place, but conceiving twins is nearly unheard of. Congratulations, you guys."

"Everything's still okay right?" Nathan worried.

"So far everything is better than okay. The babies have two very strong, healthy heart beats. Haley has great blood pressure and is in perfect health to go full term. We might have to discuss birthing options though. I strongly recommend a scheduled cesarian birth; I wouldn't do vaginal. Could be risky. As of right now, it looks like you'll be due in January. We'll discuss this as it gets closer to third trimester. I want to see you every three weeks and if you have any pain or discomfort call me right away. Try taking it easy, exercising, and eating healthy. Remember, you're responsible for two lives now— not including yours."

Haley nodded, taking the doctor's words all in. Just when she was finally getting used to the idea of being pregnant, she now had to believe the fact she was carrying two babies.

It may have been considered almost impossible, but Haley had never been more happy in her life— she couldn't imagine being any happier than she was in that moment.

"I'm so happy, Haley," Nathan cried, cradling her head against his chest. "This is amazing!"

"Better than amazing," Haley breathed, still in absolute disbelief. "I've never been happier, Nathan. I love you. I love our life. I love Maddie, and I love our babies. More than you'll ever know."

"I love you too, Haley James." He placed a hand against her stomach, then leaned over so he could kiss the flat baby bump. "Twins," he practically giggled. "Wait 'til we tell Maddie!"


	27. Chapter 27

Haley carefully watched her step as she carried the last box from the truck to her and Nathan's new home. It had been a busy two months for them, to say the least. Between buying a house, planning the wedding, and preparing for the arrival of not one, but two babies, Nathan and Haley barely had time to breathe.

Luckily, it was now June, meaning Haley had off for the summer, making it a lot easier to get the planning done. Nathan's mom, Deb, had also been a blessing throughout it all. Not to mention how helpful Brooke, Lucas, and Peyton were. Still, it was a lot to do in such a short amount of time.

It certainly didn't help matters that Haley had decided she wanted to get married before the babies were due— insisting on a summer wedding before she 'starts to look like a whale.'

Nathan merely chuckled at her phrasing, but would do anything to make her happy… even if that meant the added stress and pressure.

So, here they were, about to get married in three very short weeks, all while decorating their new four bedroom beach home.

After finding out Haley was carrying twins, they decided they needed to buy a new home. Obviously Haley's apartment was going to work, and neither would Nathan's two bedroom house. They immediately met with a realtor, and fell in complete love with the third house they saw— the one they ultimately ended up buying. It was truly perfect for them. The spacious house was big enough to accommodate their growing family, but not in a overtly lavish way.

The selling point was the fact that it was a beach property. Haley visualized waking up early on Sundays and spending the day watching their kids run along the sand, with a shirtless Nathan chasing after them.

Maddie loved it too. Her new room was nearly double the size of her old one, and she took a great deal of pleasure running through each room, getting lost in the house. She was eager for her new siblings to arrive so that she could play hide-and-go-seek with them.

For Nathan, he loved the home gym, two car garage, and of course, the balcony in the master suite overlooking the ocean. Not to mention, he secretly liked the private room just off the kitchen where he was planning to surprise Haley with a new grand piano. He knew she'd love it— especially the large bay windows overlooking their backyard.

At the thought of her, Nathan gently threw the box he was holding onto the kitchen counter, then made his way out to the driveway.

"Haley!" He instantly scolded his three-month pregnant fiancé when he watched her unloading a box from the trunk. "I told you not to lift anything, babe. You might get hurt."

Haley rolled her eyes. She often found Nathan's fierce protectiveness to be endearing, but lately, it has been annoying.

"Relax, Nathan. I'm pregnant, not elderly," she quipped with a teasing smirk.

Nathan shook his head and took the box from her grasp. Okay, so it was pretty light weight, and Maddie could have even carried it, but still, he didn't want to risk it. "I worry about you, Hales. The doctor said you shouldn't be straining yourself."

"I'm fine," her smirk slid into a giddy smile. "I love you for worrying, but I don't want _you_ to get stressed. The twins and I are perfectly fine. Promise."

He released a heavy sigh, dropped the box, then rested his hands around her expanding belly. Because she was carrying twins, her three-month pregnant belly protruded more than most pregnant women, but unless she was wearing a form-fitting shirt, it wasn't blatantly obvious just yet— which is exactly why she wanted to get married sooner rather than later so she could fit in the wedding dress Brooke designed for her.

Nathan nodded again, then hung his head slightly to access her lips easier. They shared a soft kiss in the middle of their driveway, all while he kept his hands firmly over her stomach. Before she was pregnant, Nathan could barely keep his hands to himself, but after finding out she was carrying their two little miracles, his hands hardly left her belly. It was a total aphrodisiac.

"Okay," he mumbled against her lips. "I love you."

Her hands fiddled with the hairs on the nape of his neck, "I love you, too. Where's Sunshine?"

Nathan smiled at Haley's nickname for Maddie. She often called her that, and he found it adorable; though, he'd never actually admit it out loud.

"She's in the nursery unpacking her toys. She wants the twins to have them."

Haley laughed, "Aw. That's sweet."

"I have a few of Maddie's things when she was a baby but I got rid of a lot, so we're going to have to go shopping. Plus, we'll have to keep everything gender neutral since we won't know the sexes."

Haley nodded, "Okay, that's fine. But you need to take a break from the unpacking and help me with last minute wedding details."

"What else is left?"

"Well, we just need to pick out the wedding song, and go over the guest list. I'm pretty sure everyone responded but we need to double check."

"Got it. I'll take care of both. Why don't you go up and check on Mads?"  
Haley licked her lips, "Are you sure? I think you need to rest, too. You pretty much carried everything today."

Nathan smirked, then flexed his biceps causing Haley to giggle like a school girl, "It's ok, I'm nothing but muscle, baby."

"Is that right?" She teased, scarping her fingernails under his shirt where his six-pack was neatly defined.

"Mhmm," his lips attached to hers again, but pulled away seconds later.

"Why'd you stop?" She pouted.

"I don't want to give the neighbors a free show," Nathan chuckled. "But I promise we'll continue this later."

"Ok, I'm holding you to it, Scott." She winked, then discreetly grabbed his behind, laughing when his eyes widened.

"Hales…" he groaned, "you can't tease a guy like that."

"Oops," Haley smiled flirtatiously before wandering back into the house to find Maddie. On the way up the stairs, she admired the way everything was slowly coming together. It wasn't an easy process, but it would all be worth it in the end.

The room at the end of the wall was the room Maddie had picked out— of course, it was the one right next to the nursery because she wanted to be close as possible. The room across from the nursery was the master, with a gorgeous en-suite private bathroom.

A little further down the hall was another bedroom which they'd use for one of the baby's when they got older, but to make things easier, they decided when the twins arrived, they'd keep them in one room.

Haley peeked in Maddie's room. Before moving in, Nathan had decided to surprise her and painted the room a pale purple. Peyton also helped out, and made a mural of a castle on the wall by her fairy bed. Maddie's smile still has yet to leave her face; she was the epitome of excitement.

Like Nathan's guess, Maddie wasn't in her room, so Haley checked the nursery. Her breath gasped as she stood in the doorframe, as this was her first time seeing it since looking at the house.

Nathan must have painted it a pale yellow the same day he painted Maddie's room. The door was closed and since they hadn't bought anything yet, Haley didn't bother looking. But now, she was utterly speechless.

Two small bassinets were in each corner of the bright room, and on the wall opposite of the windows was another mural; it was sea themed— a plethora of colorfully painted fish decorated the deep sea blue wall. It contrasted so nicely with the pale yellow. She knew it was Peyton's handy work, but the idea had Nathan written all over it. He and Haley always shared a love for the beach.

Haley's eyes prickled with tears. The room was beautiful.

Maddie looked up from the box of toys she was unpacking and furrowed her raven black eyebrows. "Why are you crying, Momma?"

That was the tipping point; tears started sliding down Haley's cheeks faster than rain on a glass pane. She was a mother and Maddie calling her 'momma' was music to her ears. Neither could wait until the adoption paperwork became finalized.

"Do you not like the room?" Maddie asked again as she got up to walk closer to Haley.

Haley crouched down and pulled Maddie in for a hug. "Oh, no, sweetheart. I love it! I'm just crying because I'm so happy. You and your Daddy make me happy."

Maddie smiled and reached up to wipe the tears off of Haley's cheek. "Don't cry, Mommy. Daddy says your smile is the prettiest he's ever seen."

Haley laughed through her happy sobs, and kissed Maddie's cheeks. "I think your smile is the prettiest I've ever seen, Sunshine."

Maddie giggled, then gently splayed her fingers over Haley's shirt, "how are the babies?"

"The babies are good. They're excited to meet their big sister, and I think they're really going to like this room."

"Really?" Maddie's blue eyes resembled Neptune.

"Oh, definitely!"

"How much longer do they need to grow?"

Haley laughed, "what does your book say?"

Maddie smiled before running out of the nursery and into her room where the baby book for kids was resting on top of her book shelf. Haley soon followed and smiled at the sight of Maddie eagerly flipping through the pages. "It says another six months," she pouted. "That's a really long time, Mommy."

"It'll be here before your know it, Mads. But in the meantime, you can help Daddy and I finish decorating, and we're getting married in less than a month!"

Maddie jumped up and down, "I'm so excited!"

"Me too." They shared another hug, which was interrupted by the sound of Nathan's voice.

"Hey girls, what's going on in here?"

Haley promptly stood up and greeted him with an affectionate kiss. "I just saw the nursery. It's perfect. Thank you."

Nathan smiled happily, "Good. I'm so glad you like it, but I can't take all the credit. Peyton was the one who painted it."

"Maybe so, but I have a feeling you were the one who asked her to do that."

"You really like it, Hales?"

"I love it. Thank you," she kissed him softly again, earning a long 'ewww' from Maddie.

"Come on," he grabbed Haley's hand, "I have something else I want to show you."

"Baby, you've already done too much."

He shook his head, "It's never too much for you, beautiful."

Haley grinned, "you spoil me."

"Just making sure my girls are happy." He then leaned down to pick up Maddie with the hand that wasn't holding Haley's. Seconds later, he lead them through the tan painted hallway and down the stairs. "Okay, close your eyes," he instructed.

Both Maddie and Haley did as they were told as Nathan helped guide them to the surprise he had just set up.

"Okay, now open them!"

Haley's eyes fluttered open and she let out a small shriek. On the wall in front of her, right before the staircase, was a montage of picture frames— much like the ones in Nathan's old home. This time, however, there were at least a dozen pictures of her, some of which she never even knew were taken. But the picture that caught her eye was the one in the middle; it was a picture of her and Nathan— the very first picture they ever took together on Nathan's phone. His words from that night rang between her ears;

 _"_ _maybe one day this picture will end up on the wall."_

Her tears had returned in full force and she sobbed into his chest. Damn pregnant hormones made her more emotional than she'd ever been in her entire life.

"Hales, don't cry." Nathan chuckled, rubbing soothing circles over her back.

She pulled away and wiped her tears, "I'm sorry. It's the hormones. But this is so sweet, baby. I can't believe you did this!"

Nathan smirked proudly, "I left a few frames empty so we can put pictures of the babies in them. We'll definitely need another wall in a few years, though. This is just the beginning."

"This is perfect," Haley pulled him down for another searing kiss. But broke away so that she could take in all the photographs. Most of them were the same ones from his old house, but the new ones consisted of her and Maddie together, or her and Nathan. A few were just solo shots, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. One particular image was of her dressed in just his shirt, playing the piano. If anyone looked at it, they wouldn't have known she wasn't wearing pants because the piano covered her lower region, but she knew he must have taken the picture just after they had made love. Another photo was of her and Maddie curled up on the couch reading together. But Haley's favorite was the picture of the three of them; it was taken the day Nathan proposed. The two of them were leaning over a beaming Maddie, sharing a kiss. It was the same picture they used on their wedding invitations, and everyone loved it.

The wall was basically a shrine of her and Maddie. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her, and she couldn't wait to add their wedding photos and pictures of the twins.

Nathan pulled a picture from his pocket and smirked, "I thought we could hang the twin's sonogram photo. Care to do the honors, Maddie?"

Haley and Nathan watched proudly as their daughter hung the black and white image on the wall.

"There. It's perfect."


	28. Chapter 28

There's a time in every little girl's life where she dreams of her fairytale wedding. For Madeline Scott, that day was today. June 23rd; it was also the day Haley James was officially marrying her prince— Nathan Scott.

Maddie watched with sparkling eyes as her new mother twirled in front of the mirror, donning her gorgeous Clothes Over Bro's original wedding gown. It fit Haley like second skin, and proudly displayed her almost four month pregnant stomach. At this point, the bump was as prominent as a basketball cut in half, and the wedding dress only accentuated it. Haley smiled at her reflection, blinking to avoid the burning sensation of tears. She told herself she wasn't going to cry, but between the hormones and excitement, the promise was looking futile.

"Mommy, you can't cry! You'll ruin your make-up," Maddie bossily scolded, causing the rest of the bridesmaids in the room to laugh.

Though they tried to keep it small, the wedding ended up comprising of most of their family and friends, which, turned out, there were a lot more than either Nathan or Haley expected. They settled on the same church gardens that Haley's parents had gotten married in.

"You know, bub, my beautiful granddaughter has a point. You don't want your eye makeup to smudge."

Haley turned and gasped, "Mom!" She didn't think her mother would make it. After all, Lydia James hadn't stepped a foot back in Tree Hill since her husband died. "What— what're you doing here?"

Lydia's lips crinkled into a warm smile, "You think I'd miss my youngest daughter's wedding? Plus, I think it's time I met your new family, don't 'cha think?"

Haley rushed over to her mom and threw her arms around her neck. If she hadn't already been on the verge of crying, she would be now. Her eyes were a floodgate, cracking open. "I'm so happy you're here," she whispered.

"There's no place I'd rather be, sweetheart." Lydia's green eyes pooled with her own tears, carefully running her hand through her daughter's softly curled hair.

Haley desperately tried to wipe her eyes without ruining Brooke's hard work. "You look stunning, baby girl."

"Thank you, Mom."

Lydia discreetly wiped the corner of her eye, then sprawled her palms over her daughter's swollen stomach. "So, it is true, huh? Nathan's boys have super powers."

"Mom!" Haley's cheeks blushed a deep crimson. She was very aware of her daughter and future mother-in-law's presence two feet away.

"What?" Lydia chuckled, "You know it's true. I just had to come and see it myself. Twins! Unreal."

Despite her obvious embarrassment, Haley couldn't help but crack a smile. She, too, still had moments of disbelief. Putting her own hands on top of her mother's, Haley sighed dreamily. "I know. We're so excited."

"Do you know the genders yet?"

Haley shook her head 'no', but Maddie couldn't help but overhear. "I'm gonna have a little brother and a baby sister."

Haley laughed and leaned down, "Oh, is that right Sunshine?"

"Yep! I just know it."

"Well aren't you a smart-cookie?" Lydia joked, "Hi, Maddie. I'm Lydia James. I've heard so much about you."

"Are you my new Gramma?"

Haley watched as her mother's eyes swelled, "If you'd like me to be, then yes, I'd love to be your new Grandma."  
Maddie grinned and launched herself into the older woman's arms. "This is the best day ever!"

Just then, Deb Lee came over with a warm smile. "Hey Ladies, sorry to interrupt but Maddie, your daddy wants to see you really quickly."

Maddie waved goodbye to Lydia, then turned serious, "Okay. I'll be right back, Mama. Don't go anywhere!"

Haley giggled, "I wouldn't dream of it, Mads."

Deb crinkled her nose playfully and reached out to lead Maddie out of the room, before squeezing Haley's shoulder. "You look beautiful, Haley. Welcome to the family."

. . . . . . . . .

Nathan fretfully paced back and forth. He didn't know why his nerves were consuming him. Today would be one of the greatest days of his life, and yet, here he was, ready to puke. He hadn't seen Haley in over 24 hours. Brooke all but forced her to stay with her last night due to some stupid tradition. He barely slept. He just wanted to hold Haley and tell her how much he loved her and the babies. The whole night he was worried sick. What if something happened? He hadn't been able to stop texting her the entire time. He knew one thing for sure, the minute they got married, he was never going to let go of her.

"Hi, Daddy!" Madeline greeted with her infectious smile. "Wait 'til you see Mama. She looks like the most beautiful Princess in the whole wide world."

Nathan turned, and almost instantly, his heart rate fell back into its normal rhythm. A smirk stretched over his lips. Maddie looked adorable in her purple dress. She had two very important jobs she was more than eager to accomplish— be the flower girl, and Nathan's 'best man.' Lucas jokingly feigned hurt, but, after seeing the look of pure glee in Maddie's eyes, he knew he could never compete. Maddie was Nathan's best friend, besides Haley of course.

"She always looks beautiful," Nathan said with a dopey smile. "And so do you, little bear."

"Thanks, Daddy!"

Nathan smirked and fiddled with this black bow tie. "How do I look? Good enough to be standing next to your Mom?"

"Uh-huh. You look so handsome!" She gushed, "Like a Prince!"

His crooked smile widened, "Thanks. And hey, I owe you big time. You played a huge role in getting me and Haley together. I don't think we'd be here without you."

Maddie smiled, "I'm happy I helped."

Nathan chucked before squatting down and hugging his daughter, "Me too, Maddie. I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

"Good. Now I need your help with just one more thing,"

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Haley was seated in front of a small vanity as Brooke did a quick touch-up. "Baby Daddy is going to combust when he see's you, tutor-girl."

She playfully rolled her eyes, "Brooke, don't let him hear you call him that. You know he hates it."

"Yeah, yeah," Brooke rasped, "he should be proud he gets that nickname. No one else could be called that."

"True," she laughed and softly rubbed her stomach mindlessly.

"Feelin' okay?"

"Better than I've ever felt in my entire life," Haley whispered. It was true. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever imagined feeling this happy.

She didn't think this type of happiness existed in real life.

"I'm back, Mom!" Maddie announced, running into the room with a bouquet of purple flowers and a white envelope. Ever since the adoption papers were filed, Maddie called Haley some variation of the word 'Mom' every chance she could get.

"Whatcha' got there, cutie?" Brooke asked.

"Daddy told me to give this to you, Mommy."

Haley turned slightly and smiled at the oversized flowers. "Thank you, Maddie." She then graciously accepted the bouquet, smelling their sweet yellow centers before opening the envelope with her name scrawled on it in Nathan's messy handwriting. Inside was a small card, and she began to read.

Babe,

In just a few short minutes, you are going to walk down the aisle and steal my breath away; just like you do every single time you walk into a room. Just one look at your beautiful smile, and just like that, I forget how to breathe. I'm not usually good with words, that's more Lucas's nerdy and cheesy department, but somehow, everything I'm writing — everything you're reading right now— is true. I'm not trying to woo you, it's just natural. You're so beautiful, Haley James (soon to be Scott!) — and yes, I used 6 exclamation points because that's how freakin' excited I am. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you and how excited I am you're going to be my wife. I'm literally the luckiest guy alive. Not only do I get to be your husband, but I get to be a Dad again! I'm happy the twins are part of today, and I can't wait to meet them. You're going to be such a MILF (and I know you're totally blushing right now), well technically you are one already because you're Maddie's mom, and we're both so grateful for that. I couldn't have imagined a better mother for my children. You, Haley James, are one extraordinary woman and I'm going to love you for the rest of my life. Thank you for everything you've done and continue to do. I love you, I love you, I love you.

See you soon!

Always & Forever,

Nathan

Haley blinked in attempt to ward off those pesky tears. "Dammit," she muttered, feeling one escape and slide down her cheek. "Why does Nathan have to be so damn sweet?"

Brooke fanned her friend's face feverishly, "No, no, no. Don't you dare cry."

"Yea, mama, don't cry! You have to go walk to Daddy now."

Haley wiped her cheeks and smiled, "Okay, you're right, let's get me married!"  
"Places everyone!" Maddie shouted bossily. She was adorable with her hands on her hips. "Bridesmaids line up behind me. Mama, you start walking when the music plays. Everybody got it?"

Haley laughed at Maddie's stern tone. "Yes ma'am," she mock saluted. "See you at the alter, Sunshine."

Maddie displayed her dimples, "and now we'll finally have the same last name."

. . . . . . . . . . .

Everybody stared in adoration as Maddie walked, well, ran, down the aisle throwing purple petals around the ground. Nathan watched proudly and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek when she made it to him.

After Haley's five bridesmaids— her three sisters, Brooke and Peyton, walked down the aisle with Nathan's groomsmen, Lucas, Clay, Tim, Skills, and Tony, the music changed and it was Haley's turn.

Their friends and family members stood from their chairs and watched in pure awe as Haley stepped down from the horse drawn carriage.

Nathan's jaw physically dropped, and as he wrote in Haley's letter, he forgot how to breathe. It's as if his body stopped working.

"Breathe, Daddy," Maddie whispered, taking his hand in hers.

Nathan couldn't even look away from the angel making her way to him. They shared a secret smile, as Haley nearly started to shake from Nathan's intense stare.

"I love you," he mouthed.

She giggled softly, "I love you more."

Finally, she could barely take it any longer, and started to run to the front where Nathan immediately took her hand in his.

"Hi," he grinned excitedly.

Haley blushed, "Hi."

He knew he probably shouldn't, but leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Nathan, I can't wait any longer. Let's get married."

He chuckled and guided her towards the pastor who greeted them with a polite smile.

"Friends, family… we are gathered here today to witness the holy matrimony between Nathan Scott and Haley James. Anyone who objects speak now or forever hold your peace."

Maddie stepped forward and grunted, "Nobody say anything!"

Laughter filled the air, and luckily, no one objected.

Nathan stood facing Haley with a giddy grin, and she just wanted to kiss him. It was so cute how excited he looked.

Her smile matched his, but for the slightest second, a pang cramped in her stomach. She tried to hide the pain from her features, but Nathan picked up on it instantly.

"Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine."

"Do you need to sit down?"

The pastor was talking, but Nathan and Haley were having their own private talk.

She shook her head, and silently thanked God that the pain went away. She read in a book that random cramping is expected and nothing to worry about— so she hoped this was the same case.

Her grip on his hand got tighter and it was time to read their vows.

Nathan went first; "Hales, the first time I saw you was in your classroom. I was there to talk about Maddie, and somehow, I ended up falling completely and utterly in love with you. I don't think either of us could have ever predicted that, but I am so happy it did. You are my best friend and the light in my life. I never thought I'd fall in love and I never thought Maddie would have a mother but then you showed up and it all changed. I can't wait to spend every day by your side raising the family we've created. I promise you I'm going to love you for the rest of my life and into eternity. No matter what happens today or tomorrow, I know everything is going to be okay because you're by my side. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us. I vow to always protect you and to be the reason you wake up and go to bed with a smile. I vow to be your best friend, your lover, and your partner in crime. And most importantly I vow to love you always and forever."

Haley wiped the tears from her eyes and at this point, no longer cared if her make up was smeared all over her face.

She stuck her left hand out and smiled when Nathan slid the gorgeous diamond encrusted band over her finger.

"Nathan, you and Maddie have been the best surprises of my life— well besides the twins," she giggled, "and I've never been happier than when I'm with you. For so long I thought I'd have to go through this life alone and then I met you and it changed. I fell in love with your kind smile, and the way your beautiful blue eyes light up when Maddie giggles. I fell in love with the way your arms fit around me. You made me believe again. You made me see the magic in the world. Most importantly, you gave me something I never thought I would have. A family. Because of you I'm gaining a perfect daughter and two babies. You'll never know how grateful I am for that, but I vow to make it up to you for as long as we both shall live. I vow to be your light in the days of darkness. I vow to be your shelter in every storm. I vow to be the best wife and mother possible. I vow to love you more than you could ever possibly know. I vow to never, ever let go of you, Nathan Scott. You're my always, and I'm your forever."

He grinned and felt her slide the wedding ring over his left finger. "Can I kiss her yet?" He asked the pastor.

The pastor chuckled, "as soon as I pronounce you man and wife."

"What're you waiting for?" Maddie interjected impatiently.

"And now, by the power invested in me by the state of North Carolina, I pronounce Haley Bob James and Nathan Royal Scott as husband and wife. Nathan you can now kiss your br-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Nathan bent down and pulled Haley in for a hungry kiss. It was as if he hadn't held her in 24 years much less 24 hours.

Lucas chuckled as he watched his brother swoop Haley down, still attacking her lips. He playfully put his hands over Maddie's eyes.

When air became an issue, the married duo pulled apart and held their hands in the air, laughing.

"I love you, Mrs. Scott."

"I love you too, Mr. Scott."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

The reception was now in full swing and Nathan and Haley had barely come up for air. At one point she had even dragged him into the bathroom to have her way with him. Nathan loved a pregnant Haley and all the benefits that came with it.

They were now sharing their first dance as a married couple, and Haley rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes to breathe in the moment. "Mhmm, I was hoping you'd pick this song."  
The familiar tune to "Then" by Brad Paisley played as the two of them swayed on the empty dance floor.

"Now you're my whole life, now you're my whole world. I just can't believe the way I feel about you girl…"

Haley giggled as she opened her eyes and looked at her husband, "are you singing?"

"Maybe," he shrugged, completely care-free. Yes, he knew he sucked at singing, but the song was special for him and Haley.

"God, I love you," Haley marveled, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him longingly.

"I love you, too, wife." Nathan beamed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Never felt better," she swore. "Although, I think I need to take these heels off. They're killing me."

He chuckled, "Okay, here let me help." He bent down and helped her slide the heels off. She was now three inches shorter than him, so she stood on his shoes as they continued swaying.

Their sweet moment was soon interrupted, however, when Maddie came running over. "Hi Mama, hi Daddy!"

"Hey kiddo. Having a good time?"

"The best! Grandma Deb just gave me a sip of wine!"

Haley and Nathan's eyes widened, "what?!"

"I'm just kidding," she giggled, "but she gave me five dollars to tell you that she did."

Haley laughed as she watched her husband place his hands over his rapidly beating heart, "God, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry, Daddy." Maddie smirked. "Can we dance now?"

Sensing his reluctance, Haley smiled and kissed his cheek. "Go dance with our girl. I think I need a little break anyway."

"Okay, but as soon as the next song ends I'll come sit with you. Drink water, baby."

"Okay husband," Haley agreed then kissed Maddie's cheek. "Love you, Sunshine."

"Love you, too!"

Nathan smiled and picked up his daughter, watching as Haley went on to sit with their mothers.

"We did it, Maddie."

Maddie smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "did what?"

"We got the girl. Well, I got a smokin' hot wife and you got a pretty amazing mom."

Maddie's eyes widened, "what does that mean, Daddy?"

He chuckled, "it means we got really lucky."

"We really did," she beamed.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Nathan and Haley cuddled up in the corner, sipping alcohol-free champagne, listening as their friends and family gave speeches about them. Lucas had just said a heart-warming one, while Brooke's had been quite funny. They were soon surprised, though, when Maddie walked up to the DJ and grabbed the microphone.

"I just wanted to say a few things," she smiled and both their hearts melted. "I just wanted to say how much I love my Daddy and Mommy and I'm so excited we get to be a family. My mommy was my teacher in the beginning of the year and I wished one day she could be my mom. I never knew it would come true, but I saw how much my daddy loved her and I wanted nothing more than for him to be happy. Now we're both so happy because Ms. James became Mrs. Scott. She might not be my teacher anymore, but that's okay, because I still get to learn from her everyday."

Haley was a sobbing wreck by now. She had to hide her face in Nathan's neck otherwise she'd be a blubbering mess in the pictures.

He soothingly ran his hand over her back. Okay he loved a pregnant Haley, but maybe not the hormones.

"And I'm so excited 'cuz now I get to be a big sister and I hope I have a little brother and a little sister so we can play and I can tell them how we have the best mommy and daddy in the whole world. Okay, so that's it. I love you guys and I'm so lucky."

After being applauded, she ran over to her parents.

"That was the best speech, little bear. Thank you." Nathan hugged her, then kissed her on her forehead.

Haley wiped her tears with the back of her hand, "that was so sweet. We love you so much."

The family of three, soon to be five, cuddled into a hug. The day truly could not have gotten any more perfect.


	29. Chapter 29

"Maddie, sweetie, I don't think you need to pack all of that," Haley laughed as she stood in the doorway of her daughter's room, watching as she threw essentially everything she owned into one small suitcase.

The family of three—well technically five including the seven month twins growing in Haley's stomach— were headed to Disney World for the weekend for a belated Honeymoon.

Nathan had wanted to wait until after the twins were born, but Haley insisted they go before because they'd never find the time. Plus, she wanted to give Maddie a special trip before she became a big sister.

It wasn't conducive, of course, being extremely swollen in the middle of a very hot summer, was incredibly uncomfortable but Haley would force herself to suck it up. Nathan practically harassed their doctor to make sure it was okay, and it was— as long as they drove down instead of taking an airplane.

The ride from Tree Hill to Orlando was about seven hours— certainly lengthy, but they'd try to make it as enjoyable as possible. Haley had gone shopping the other day and bought nearly the entire snack aisle. Since she was obviously pregnant, nobody dared to say a word.

She was actually looking forward to lounging by the pool with a good book while Nathan and Maddie explore Animal Kingdom.

"But Mommy, my stuffed animals will miss me!" Maddie pouted, trying to stuff Myrna Moose on top of Leonard the Lion.

Haley giggled softly, "Tell you what, Mads, why don't you just bring Myrna, and maybe we can get you a new animal at Disney. How does that sound?"

Maddie nodded feverishly and pulled out the other five stuffed animals she had packed. Haley knew when Maddie was asleep, she'd have to repack for her, guessing she probably forgot to pack what she actually needed; sandals, swim wear, and a toothbrush.

"Okay, mama. Are you gonna bring Mr. Waffles? He said he really wants to come."

Haley walked into Maddie's room and tried her best to squat down— her large rounded belly making the task almost impossible. "I don't know if I have room in my suitcase but maybe we can put him in Daddy's bag," she whispered, then winked at her daughter's growing grin.

"Yay! I'll go do that now."

Haley watched, laughing, as Maddie whizzed by her to rush into the master suite. Her laugh soon turned into a minor groan when she stood up and felt a pain rip through her lower back. It had been occurring for the past few days, but she simply assumed it was a Braxton Hicks contraction and nothing to worry about. Needing a distraction, she waddled down the stairs to find her handsome husband raiding through their refrigerator for a Gatorade.

"Hey baby. How's packing going?" He mumbled, feeling her hand splayed over his muscular back.

"Well, our daughter seems to have packed her entire toy box," she laughed, "but I'm almost done."

Nathan nodded and closed the fridge, abandoning his search for a drink, to lean down and kiss his wife. "Good. How you feeling?"

Haley smiled into his kiss and grabbed his hands to place over her stomach. " _We_ are amazing. I'm so excited for our Honeymoon."

He smirked and gently backed her up until she was resting against the kitchen counter. "Me too. I love you, Mrs. Scott."

"I love you, more," her girlish giggle turned into a tiny moan of pleasure. Just one touch from Nathan had her on the verge of combusting into a pile of cells.

As they continued to kiss, another pain rippled through her uterus, this time feeling like she was hit with a baseball bat.

Nathan pulled away with worried eyes when his wife nearly doubled over.

"What's wrong, Hales? Are you okay?"

She clenched her eyes tightly, and brought her hand to her stomach. "I'm fine, it's just a little pain."

Nathan gently wrapped his arms around her waist, "Haley," he warned, "maybe we should wait to go—,"

"No!" She protested, trying her best to ignore another sweep of pain. "I'm fine, really. Besides, the doctor said it was okay."

He sighed and raked his fingers through his raven black hair, "I dunno, babe. You've been wincing all week."

Haley bit her lip and lowered her gaze to the floor, "You saw that?"

"Of course I did. I'm worried about you, Haley. You have our children inside of you right now. All I do is worry."

Haley grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers together, "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

"I'm so scared," her voice was a whisper.

Nathan rested his free hand against her cheek, "of what?"

"Of losing you. Of losing Maddie. Or… losing the babies." She blinked, and two stray tears escaped the corner of her eye. "I don't know what I'd do-,"

"Shh," he quieted her with a gentle kiss, "don't think like that. It's not going to happen."

"But-"

Nathan shook his head, "I need you to promise me something, Haley."

"Okay."

He inhaled a shaky breath, "if you're in pain, I need you to tell me. This trip can wait. I don't want to risk anything."

She nodded and gave him a reassuring smile, "I promise, Nathan, but right now I'm fine. Really."

He studied her dubiously for a second, but her smile was convincing. "Come on, it's getting late. We should head to bed."

Their hands found each other's again and folded their fingers together as Nathan lead Haley up the stairs.

Within the next hour, they had gotten Maddie to sleep. They had a big day tomorrow— they had planned to leave around six in the morning to get a head start on traffic. An hour or so after that, Nathan and Haley had succumbed to a deep slumber, eagerly awaiting their vacation. But sleep didn't last long.

Around midnight, Nathan awoke with a startled jump as his fingers subconsciously drifted towards a sticky wet substance. He thought he was dreaming at first, but when he turned the lamp on, his stomach lurched dreadfully.

"Oh God, oh God. Baby, wake up!" Nathan shook Haley feverishly and watched as she opened her own eyes startlingly. "Haley!"

"Wh—.." Haley's horizontally slitted eyes peeled open when she looked at the fear etched over her husband's face. She gulped when she felt it but didn't want to look. Her eyes closed tightly again. "Nathan!" She screamed, "Tell me this isn't happening."

Nathan immediately stood up and picked a limp Haley in his arms. She felt another stab of pain tear through her lower stomach and let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"We have to go to the hospital right now," Nathan choked, doing his best not to look at the blood that had stained their sheets.

Haley cried into his chest, "Nathan," she sobbed, "I can't— I can't do this."

"It's gonna be okay, Haley." His voice rasped through a creeping sob, but he was able to swallow it into his stomach. "I love you."

"It's too soon," she whispered, "it's too soon."

Nathan watched as her eyes started to close again, but this time it was unwillingly. "Stay with me, Haley!" He shouted, shaking her loose frame in his arms again. "Oh God."

Everything after that was a white blur. He didn't remember reaching for his phone and calling an ambulance. He didn't remember waking up Maddie and telling her Mommy was in labor. He didn't remember any of it. All he knew was that his wife and unborn children were in serious danger.

Somehow they had made it to the hospital and the next thing Nathan knew, Haley was being whisked away on a stretcher, where they were about to operate an emergency c-section.

"I'm sorry, son. You can't go in there." The Doctor warned.

Nathan felt the world shaking around him, "But my wife… she needs me. I - I need her."

"We'll do the best we can."

He slumped wordlessly onto the ground, a crying Maddie clenched tightly in his arms.

"Is Mommy and the twins going to be okay?" She choked.

"I hope so," was all he managed to say.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Seven long, stressful, hours. Seven hours of praying. Seven hours of tears. Seven hours of nothing but pure fear.

It should have been seven hours of "are we there yet" and seven hours of having to stop to use the bathroom every fifteen minutes. It should have been seven hours of laughter on their way to the happiest place in the world.

But no.

It had turned into the day of anguish.

He tried to be strong for Maddie, but Nathan could barely breathe. He didn't know what was going on in the emergency room. He felt so hopeless. Never had he felt this scared in his entire life — not even when Maddie had run away.

At that thought, his hold on a now sleeping Maddie tightened fiercely. He was never letting go of her. Right now, she was all he had. She was his lifeline.

"Nathan," Deb muttered softly, "you should try to rest, sweetheart."

"I don't want to." He declared tonelessly. After getting to the ER, he somehow managed to call his mom to bring some of Maddie's things. He was in such a panic he forgot to grab some of her belongings. Deb had then called Lucas and Peyton who arrived as soon as possible.

Still, Nathan had not moved since slumping onto the floor. Even when his mother tried to coax Maddie to sleep on the waiting room chairs, Nathan refused to let go of her.

He wouldn't even talk to anyone - not Lucas who tried to instill hope. Not Peyton who took a seat next to him for a few hours. No one.

He just waited and worried. It was all he could do.

How had this happened? They had been so happy. Haley was the best damn mother in the world, and if something happened to the babies …

Nathan felt his stomach lurch. It's not fair. Life's not fair.

Why them? Why Haley? She didn't deserve to go through this.

"Mr. Scott?" He was pulled from his catastrophic thoughts and turned to look at the elderly doctor.

Nathan tried to look for any signs of sympathy or relief. Instead, the doctor remained completely stoic.

Slowly, he stood up, shifting Maddie - who never once stirred from her sleep - into a tighter grip. But he braced himself for the worst, and waited with baited breath for the doctor to speak.

"Congratulations. You have a beautiful son and daughter."

The world, for the briefest second, stopped shaking. It stopped turning, and Nathan blinked, releasing a waterfall of tears. His head rested against Maddie's shoulder as he cried with relief.

A boy and a girl.

He felt himself start to hyperventilate. He had gone from not being able to breathe, to a rush of pure oxygen knocking through his lungs.

"Oh my God," his free hand grabbed his chest. "They're okay? Everything's okay?"

The doctor finally mustered a soft smile, "it was a struggle. I won't lie. We almost lost the girl, but she's a fighter that one. So is your wife. She almost flatlined but she's stable now. The twins are in the NICU but we have every reason to believe they're going to be strong, healthy children. As in most cases with preemie twins, they're on the lighter scale. Your son is about 4 lbs, and your daughter weighs 3.5 lbs. We take this seriously, but with just a few days extra, they'll be perfectly fine."

It was a lot to process. Nathan inhaled deeply to calm his racing heart. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Doctor."

He clasped Nathan on the back softly. "You're welcome, son."

"My wife's really okay?"

"A little groggy, but she's more than fine."

"Can I see her?"

The doctor nodded, "Right this way."

Nathan wiped the tears from his face and gently handed Maddie to his mother. He needed to see Haley alone. He had to make sure she was okay.

Haley had just started to regain consciousness when she saw Nathan rush into the room and over to her bedside.

"Oh my God, baby, I'm so sorry I wasn't here with you. Are you okay? You scared the hell out of me, Hales." Nathan was talking thirty miles a minute, as he peppered kisses all over her sweaty face. "I love you so much."

Haley blinked groggily and mustered a slow smile but sat abruptly when she remembered why she was in the hospital.

"Nathan! The twins?" Her hands moved toward her hospital gown and her eyes swelled with tears. "What happened? Are they okay?"

Nathan cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand and leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her lips. "We have a son and now another daughter. They're both okay."

Haley fell back against the pillow and let out a loud, shrieking sob of happiness. Her hand found Nathan's and she squeezed it. "Oh God, thank you," she cried when he leaned over and continued to kiss her. "Thank you so much."

"Thank you," he whispered and stroked her hair.

"I wanna see them," she requested. "Did you yet?"

Nathan shook his head, "I wanted us to meet them together. The nurse said she'll bring them in."

Haley cuddled into his side as they shared a long kiss.

"You're okay?" He fussed again.

"I'm perfect," she whispered. "I'm so glad they're okay."

Just then, the nurse rolled the two bassinets into the room. Haley and Nathan both gasped, and the largest smiles seized their lips.

"Technically this is not really allowed but we'll make the exception for five minutes." The young nurse grinned and passed the girl to Nathan and the boy to Haley.

The parents were immediately enraptured by the two bundles of joy as they took in their appearances.

"I've never loved anything more than I love our family," Haley cried, hugging their son to her chest. "Welcome to the world James Lucas Scott and Hope Lydia Scott."

Nathan looked down at the pink baby in his arms and felt his heart burst. It was unreal. Less than twenty minutes ago he didn't think this would be possible.

Haley spent most of her adult years thinking she'd never have a family and now she had it.

"He looks just like you, Nathan" she beamed proudly, looking straight into her son's bright blue eyes. James Lucas Scott looked exactly like his father, right down to the smirk and everything. The only difference was his blonde wisps of hair that he obviously inherited from his mother.

Hope, on the other hand, was Haley's spitting image. With huge brown, unblinking eyes, she gurgled contently in her father's tight embrace. "Hope is a mini-you," he smiled, unfazed by the tears rolling down his cheeks. "Look at her cute button nose, and those chubby cheeks."

Haley watched in awe as Nathan looked lovingly at their twins. "Can I hold her?"

Nathan nodded and reluctantly parted with Hope, "look, there's your Mommy. She's a superhero and you're so lucky to have her," Nathan whispered.

Haley cried softly and hugged the babies to her chest before placing kisses on top of their heads.

Hope's hair was darker than her brother's but lighter than Maddie's raven black curls. They were the perfect, most adorable little family.

James wrapped his tiny finger around Hope's wrist as they both closed their eyes tiredly.

Haley and Nathan's hearts were already melting.

"I'm so happy, Haley." Nathan gushed, unable to take his eyes off of the twins.

"Me too. I can't believe this is really happening."

They shared a brief kiss and Haley shifted to get more comfortable, but woke up James in the process and he whimpered softly.

"Here, I'll take him," Nathan offered, and lifted him to his chest. He loved his girls more than anything in the world, but he was so happy to have a little boy, too. "There's my little man," he grinned, and laughed as James nuzzled into his arms. "Mommy is right, you look just like a Scott boy. Let me tell you, the ladies are gonna love you. But your sister, Hope, the boys will be all over her, so it's our job to protect her. We have to protect Maddie and Mommy, too."

Haley listened to their talk and couldn't help but continue to cry. It was the only way to express her emotions.

"Nathan," she nudged him softly, "can you get Maddie in here? I want us to all be together."

"Sure thing, beautiful. I'll be right back. You kids be good for your mom, okay?" He kissed all three of their foreheads before he went to get Maddie, who was more than excited to hear the arrival of her siblings.

Seconds later, Nathan carried his first born into the room where Haley held the twins — a baby on each arm. She looked like she was glowing.

"Mommy!" Maddie rushed over to the bed, but was careful not to be too abrupt around the babies. "Are you okay? I was worried about you and the babies."

"I'm perfect, Sunshine." Haley beamed, "but I want you to meet your brother and sister. James Lucas Scott and Hope Lydia Scott."

"I have a brother and a sister!" She shouted excitedly. "They're so cute. Look Daddy! Jamie looks just like you! And Hope looks like Mama! Oh, I love them so, so much!"

Haley scrunched her nose as she looked over at Nathan who was standing proudly next to Maddie.

"We love you so much, Maddie." Haley grabbed her daughter's hand. "You're going to be the best big sister. I know it."

Maddie smirked and gently climbed onto the bed so she could be closer to her mother, and so she could admire her new siblings better. "This is the best day of my life."

Nathan and Haley traded wide smiles, "ours too."

"It turned out to be a pretty magical day after all," Haley gushed. She finally got everything she'd ever wished for.

. . . . .

 **Alright, this chapter was a mixture of dark drama and the cheesiest fluff ever. I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to write haha. I was going to split the chapter after Haley got to the hospital but I didn't want to leave it on a cliff hanger. I'm not that cruel.**

 **Next chapter is the epilogue. Ahh. Thanks for sticking with me. :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	30. Chapter 30

**So this is it! I apologize for the lengthy wait. I really lost so much inspiration for this story and I can't ever seem to find the time to write. Anyway, this is probably the worst thing I've ever written and I'm sorry. I re-wrote this about six times and eventually just gave up. I didn't want to keep y'all waiting any longer, so I scraped this together, and hope it's good enough. I hate to end it like this (it's so boring, in my opinion) but at least Naley got their happily ever after.**

 **And for those of you who are asking, I will be focusing all my time and attention on Halo very soon… I promise I'll get around to finishing that one too.**

 **Thanks again for sticking with me on this 'path'. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I.**

 _Six years later …_

Nathan couldn't help but stare. He knew it was wildly inappropriate, especially with a twin attached to each of his hands, but damn, his wife had one fine ass. In that moment, it was like he was transported in time.

He stood in the doorway of Haley's classroom, entranced by her moon-like curves, as if it was the very first time seeing her again.

"You know, you're kind of beautiful, Mrs. Scott."

Haley jumped slightly after picking up a stray pen left from the day, and turned to the familiar husky sound. A smile lit over her lips. Nathan had just picked up the twins from their own first-grade classrooms, and as always, the sight of him with their children made her heart race.

"Oh really?" She walked over to them with a playful grin. Hope, who had only grown to look more like Haley, had her hand wrapped so tightly around Nathan's finger— an accurate representation of their father/daughter relationship. Jamie, on the other hand, was sporting his own Scott smirk as he glanced up at her.

"Hi momma."

"Hey guys," Haley winked flirtatiously at Nathan, then crouched down to press a kiss on both Jamie and Hope's cheeks. "How was your day today?"

"Fun, mommy! Look what I made." Hope smiled excitedly as she eagerly held up her macaroni art project with a picture she drew of the Scott family. Haley beamed with pride.

"It looks great, sweetie."

"I also got a 100 on my spelling test!"

Nathan smirked and squeezed Hope's tiny hand, "I knew you would, Mini."

He had taken to calling her 'mini' because she literally was a miniature version of his wife. With wide brown eyes, curly honey blonde hair, and the sarcastic and intelligent personality to match, Hope was all Haley — something he absolutely adored.

After high-fiving her daughter, Haley turned towards Jamie and tugged on his over-size backpack string. As much as he looked like a Scott, his height had clearly been inherited from her. "What about you, little man, how was your day?"

"Tell Mommy what happened Bud," Nathan encouraged with a gentle grin.

"Katie tried to kiss me at recess!"

Haley scrunched her nose, feigning disgust. "She did?" Her eyes then met Nathan's proud gaze, and she almost laughed. Leave it to her husband to be proud about the fact their son was already budding into a Casanova.

"Yep, but I ran away," Jamie recited, sporting the signature Scott smirk. Haley didn't blame that Katie girl. The Scott charm was hard to resist.

"That's my boy," she laughed and stood back up so she could greet her husband with a short but proper kiss.

"How was your day, Mrs. Scott?"

"Well, it definitely just got better," Haley answered. It's not that she didn't have a good day — she still loved teaching and adored her students — but nothing was better than seeing her handsome husband and two smiling kids at the end of a long day.

"Ready to go get Maddie?"

Haley nodded and grabbed her bag from the desk. It was the same routine daily. While she released her current students, Nathan would leave work and pick up Hope and Jamie, then meet up at Haley's classroom before heading over to the middle school and picking-up Maddie from art club. The twelve-year-old had blossomed into quite the artist over the years. She was now hell-bent on becoming an art teacher; Haley was still her biggest role model, and she still insisted on wanting to be just like the woman who essentially raised her. If possible, the two had only grown closer over the past six years.

"Maddie!" Hope echoed eagerly. If she wasn't following Haley around, then she was sure to be her older sister's shadow. Maddie, as Nathan and Haley expected, was an amazing sister, and the twins idolized her.

"That's right, let's go get your sister."

"Can we play basketball after, Daddy?" Jamie tugged on Nathan's hand slightly, and looked up at his father with pleading, sparkling blue eyes.

"Why don't you boys go to the Rivercourt? Hope and I will get Maddie then meet you guys there," Haley suggested, "It's a beautiful day."

"You sure, babe?" Nathan asked, knowing how well his wife liked to stick to a schedule. With three kids, it was hard to work full-time and maintain a house, but they also made sure to spend time together.

She nodded again, "Yeah, why not?

"Okay, sounds like a plan. Come on little man," Nathan reluctantly released Hope from his grip and lifted Jamie into his arms.

"Kiss first," Haley demanded with a coy smile.

Nathan immediately granted her wish, and set his lips firmly against hers. They smiled softly, only to pull away seconds later when both Hope and Jamie harmonized in a chorus of "ewws."

"Okay, I'll kiss ya more later," Nathan promised, making Haley inwardly melt. Even after six years of marriage, he still had the ability to turn her insides to goo. But she'd never, not even in a million years, ever complain about the mush her organs had become— not when it was all thanks to Nathan Scott.

"Love you. See you in a bit," Haley called out as she watched Nathan and Jamie leave.

Nathan craned his neck over his shoulder and smirked, "Love you, too, Hales."

. . . . . .

"Hey mom," Madeline Scott climbed into the front seat of Haley's silver Range Rover — a five year anniversary present from her endearing husband — and smiled. "Hey Hope."

"Hey Mads, how was school?"

Maddie simply shrugged, "It was okay, but I got an A on the book report you helped me with."

"That's awesome, Sunshine! I knew you could do it."

"Thanks," the twelve-year-old brunette grinned. "Mr. Delray really liked it."

It was then that Haley noticed the piece of artwork Maddie had clenched in her hands. "Did you paint that?"

"Yeah," Maddie bit her lip bashfully, "Do you like it?"

Haley instantly recognized the painted image as a photo she took over the summer when the family of five vacationed to Disney World; a very long overdue Honeymoon.

They never got to go considering Haley went into labor with the twins early, so Nathan surprised his wife and kids with the trip last summer. She smiled at the memory.

. . . . . . .

 _"_ _Nathan, babe, where are we going?" Haley's apprehensive voice broke into a laugh as her husband took another unfamiliar exit off the highway._

 _He simply shook his head and pursed his lips together, smiling. "You'll see in about six or seven hours."_

 _Maddie's eyes widened in the back seat, "six hours, Dad?"_

 _"_ _Yep, but trust me kiddo, it'll be worth it."_

 _Haley shook her head amused, and reached over the console to lace her fingers with her husband's. She certainly did not expect to be woken up at the crack of dawn, though it wasn't exactly rare considering Nathan usually peppered her chest and neck with kisses, but she was surprised to find him dressed for the day and carrying two large bags. He all but demanded she get up and get dressed while he woke the kids, insisting they meet at the car where the rest of the bags were packed._

 _Maddie, Jamie, and Hope eventually staggered grumpily to the car, but their father's infectious enthusiasm for a 'Scott Family Adventure' had them buzzing with excitement._

 _Even Haley's giddy smile was hard to hide. She loved the way Nathan would constantly surprise them. Whether it be something as simple as flowers on a random Wednesday, or a secret road trip in the middle of the summer, Haley lived for these moments._

 _After about seven hours of 'are we there yet's?' and 'Mom, Hope is annoying me,' and 'Dad, tell Jamie to stop,' — the family finally arrived to their destination._

 _"_ _Kids, welcome to Disney World!" Nathan announced, pulling up to the resort. Haley's jaw visibly dropped. While she had developed somewhat of an inclination to where they were headed, she was just as ecstatic as the three screaming children in the back of their car._

 _Wordlessly, she leaned over the console and grabbed Nathan by the neck of his t-shirt, and pulled him in for a searing kiss, all while ignoring their kids' cheers turning into an ensemble of 'ews.'_

 _"_ _Thank you," she whispered, "I love you."_

 _Nathan winked, "Anything for you, Hales. I really would do anything to keep my four favorite people smiling."_

. . . . .

The picture Maddie had painted was Cinderella's castle; a feat both Hope and Maddie were completely obsessed with. On the last night, the Scott's gathered in front of the castle and watched the beautiful firework display, where Nathan and Haley shared a series of stolen kisses, watching as their children's smiles grew large. It truly was a perfect moment.

"I love it. I think we should get it framed," Haley suggested, taking in the colorfully painted castle. "You did an amazing job, Maddie."

"Thanks, Mom," Maddie flashed her braced tooth smile.

"Can I hang it in my room?" Hope tried to lean closer to her mom and sister, but the seatbelt restricted the movement.

"I can make you another one if you want, Hope."

"Okay," Hope seemed pleased enough with the answer and went back to humming her quiet and random tune; a trait she picked up from her mom.

"Where're we going?" Maddie asked as she noticed Haley drive past the turn towards their home.

"We're meeting Daddy and Jamie at the Rivercourt."

Haley's daughters were satisfied and made idle chatter on the way to the beloved park. Less than five minutes later, they arrived, and sure enough, there was Nathan and Jamie already dribbling a ball.

Hope and Maddie raced out of the car before Haley could even unbuckle her seatbelt, and she laughed when they immediately joined in on the game. She couldn't help but watch in awe as her husband played with their kids. Just over seven years ago, she could only dream this is where her life would be; she never thought the path would actually lead her here, to pure happiness. Everything she ever wanted was right in front of her.

"Hales, come play," Nathan called out, pulling her from her wistful thoughts.

Haley simply laughed, "You know I'm terrible."

He flashed her a cocky smirk, "I know, but still, it wouldn't be a family game without the best wife and Mom in the world."

Haley skipped over to him and playfully cut her eyes at him while rubbing her hand along his chest, "Trying to butter me up, Scott?"

"That depends, is it working?" His voice was coy.

She let out a breathy giggle, "Maybe if you try to kiss me."

"Oh how could I forget?" He laughed and dropped the basketball, leaning close so he could pull her against his chest and kiss her longingly.

The kids, as per usual, let out a groan, but Maddie secretly smiled. The truth was, she loved when her parents would display their affection for one another. She remembered briefly a time before Haley was her mom, when Nathan was single, and Maddie never wanted to go back to that life. She loved the path they followed, and wouldn't trade it for the world.

"Definitely worked," Haley breathlessly sighed. "Now who's up for boys vs. girls?"

"But that wouldn't be fair. You would have three people on your team," Jamie pointed out.

Nathan chuckled, "Trust me, little man, we can beat them even if they had six girls on their team."

"Hey! I'm pretty good," Maddie boasted, playfully glaring at her Dad.

"True, but your mom and sister aren't."

"Hey!" Hope's raspy voice was an echo of Maddie's.

"Sorry short-stack. You can thank your Mom for that."

Haley stuck her tongue out at her husband and made a grab for the ball, "you are so going down!"

"Bring it, Ms. James."

The family of five found themselves laughing wildly as they attempted to score on each other. They lost track of time— and score — but they knew it was exactly where they were meant to be. 30


End file.
